


Ascension I: Valhalla's Wings

by sunset_quartz



Series: Ascension: The Series [1]
Category: Steven Universe (Cartoon)
Genre: Ascension: The Series, Multi, Norse AU, Norse Mythology - Freeform, Original Works - Freeform, norse gods
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-11-25
Updated: 2018-12-10
Packaged: 2019-08-29 01:36:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 2
Words: 23,849
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16734561
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/sunset_quartz/pseuds/sunset_quartz
Summary: { HIATUS FOR REVAMP/REWRITE } In the beginning, there was nothing. Nothing but the First Being, Ymir. Created from the Void of Nothing, He created everything with every move He made. Having been murdered by Odin, Vili and Ve, His body made the Nine Worlds. It has been centuries since Ymir's Fall - and the gods are in distress. An incurable disease struck the Immortal Apples, weakening the gods greatly. Ragnarok approaches, and the gods will be too weak to fight. They are pushed to do the unthinkable - and call on mortals to become gods themselves and fight in Ragnarok. Once normal Gems living their lives among the humans, now gods exposed to the truth behind why they were chosen. Now they must prepare for the End. Now they must band together against enemies of the gods and protect the Nine Worlds from destruction. Will they succeed and save the Worlds, or will they tear each other apart and accept their fate with hanging heads?





	1. I: The Wolf And The Moon

  _**[In the beginning, there was nothing.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zYB0BBaU5K8)**_ Only primordial forces - burning ice and biting flame. Rumbling winds and swirling earth. This gap of silent nothing is called Ginnungagap; it was a cold as death and as hot as life - painful and powerful. Far away, burned the first of Nine Realms, the Realm of Fire - Muspellheimr, full of spitting flame and ash as black as night. The Fire Realm’s ash, smoke and lava spilled slowly and unrelentingly to the bottom of the forbidding and infinite Ginnungagap, howling and rumbling as it went, like molten syrup that scorched even the mists of Ginnungagap. Across the Ginnungagap rest the icy cold Realm of Ice and Cold Death, Niflheimr. Like slow syrup, icy death seeped through to meet the spitting flames, freezing the breath of Ginnungagap as it crawled along. Ice melted and met Fire, and from the drops of elements came the first being, the Creator. He was vile and vicious, He created and He formed, and from sweat and tears, His underarms borne the first Frost Giants and his legs still more. His name was Ymir. From more drops of chaos came Audhulma - and like any good cow, she began to lick and lick the icy-salt that was left from Ymir's Creation. Her teats spilled forth four magical rivers that nurtured Ymir and his children, and Audhulma continued to lick the salt-ice, and soon uncovered a large swath of hair. Days-before-time passed, and the cow had uncovered a whole head, and soon a whole body. He was Buri, the first of gods. He emerged confused and curious, living among Ymir and His many children. He bore a son named Bor, who married a Frost Giantess named Bestla, and together, Bor and Bestla sired half-giant-half-god sons - they were Odin, Vili and Ve. The god brothers grew and grew - and one day slew Ymir, and the trio gods used Ymir’s corpse to form the Worlds - the many oceans and lakes came from the first Giant’s blood, His skin and muscle formed soils and stone, plants and green life of all kinds from His hair, the vast domed sky from His skull and clouds from His brains. Maggots wriggled through the giant’s flesh, and soon evolved into the crafty and witty Dwarves, who remained below in their realm of Nidavellur. In order to hold Ymir’s skull skyward, four Dwarves by the names of North, South, East and West were stationed at the skull’s four corners. Odin and His two brothers came across two chunks of driftwood - and with their life-giving breath, Odin, Vili and Ve formed the first humans. The Man, Ask, and the Woman, Embla. All humans are descended from Ask and Embla, who were given a corner fenced in a black, endless sea no man dare cross. The land they dwell was called Midgard. They held safe from the Giants, in their grand home. Odin and His brothers came together, and build a walled stronghold that came known as Asgard. From Midgard over to Asgard there was a massive three-colored bridge formed, the strongest of structures that will only fall when the sons of Muspellheimr tread over it. It was named Bifrostr - 'Quavering Rainbow'. The Frost Giants were given a court surrounded in icy mountains - this land was Jotunheimr. In time, a massive tree had grown so that its roots dung to the deepest depths of Niflheimr and its branches swooped and swayed over Asgard. Many animals lived in this tree named Yggdrasil - grand stags with towering antlers, bees and their hives, squirrels and their nests and goats that nibbled on the Tree. At the very bottom in the cold mist of Niflheimr was a serpent named Niddhoggr - Corpse-Sucker, who chewed on Yggdrasil's tender root. The Tree was ravaged from all sides -  She had rot climbing up Her trunk, stags and goats nibbled at Her tender shoots and the Serpent chewed on Her root, determined to break it off. Yet, in time Odin had taken a fancy to a giant-born goddess named Frigg - and together the Aesir were banded. A court of the sons of Odin and Frigg - Thor, Vidar, Vali and fair Baldur, and the Giant Loki, taken in by Odin who was called Allfather, and the many other gods that came alongside them. Existing with the Aesir was a rival tribe - the Vanir, and among them was Freyr, Freyja and Njord, a small handful of the many among them. They had lived in Vanaheim, nestled beside the Aesir's grand home of Asgardr. All was beautiful and peaceful under the vast canopy of Yggdrasil...

-

[ **_She was always tired of the same story being told over and over._ ** ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LxLvOTQ8zXY) Stories were a sacred thing - a time of getting along and hearing the words of the gods. She grunted. Again, for the one-hundredth time this week, a bard was telling the tale of Ginnungagap and the origins of the gods. She blanked out - she had no desire to hear this stupid story for the one-hundred-and-first time. She didn’t care about how Ymir was formed. She didn’t care about His many children. She didn’t care about the origins of Odin, or Frigg. Or their sons. She’d rather drop her Crash Helm on her foot than listen to more ramblings about these gods. Sure, she adored them and all they’ve done for her people, but all she wanted to know was how Gems came about.   
      They say that the first Gems were like giants - tall and powerful, and that they shaped the land and from the land formed various types of Gems to serve the giant Gems only. It wasn’t until a group of Gems held a rebellion against the giant Gems. The rebels won - and gifted Gems with the power of free-will and the right to live alongside humans.  
     All she did was caress the Helm in her lap with a small smile, her eyes shining reflectively in the Helm’s perfect surface. The reflection of firelight danced on the Helm and her Gem, the hall alive with chatter and the scent of a good time. “Hey, Jasper!” A voice spoke from behind. Sitting beside her was her sister, Amethyst. Her long pale-violet hair hung in a curtain on her back, a small smile danced on her violet-skinned face, almost glowing in the firelight. Her Gem was visible on her chest, a cut in her fur armor specifically to show off her chest-Gem. The tunic was made entirely of a thick wolf's pelt, the smaller being small enough to use only one pelt in her entire tunic. It was held together by black hide straps and metal buckles, all clasped tightly around her form. Hide sandals protected her feet, which were dirtied from her terrible habit of running around outside in the dirt for no clear reason. In her lap, she held her whip. The ropes of the whip were almost black, and sharp amethyst-stones studded its shaft. The tiny Gem twirled the whip between her fingers, sighing audibly.  
    “Hey, Amethyst. What’s been going on? You seem awfully hyper".  
    “Nothing. Just saying hi to you!”  
    Jasper sighed, blinking bright-golden eyes that glittered like molten metal in the firelight. She ran clawlike fingernails through thick, hip-length hair that one could almost confuse for a cloak made of fur. She wore a two-piece - brown fur was wrapped around her bust and decorated with a metal shoulderpad and a chain around her neck, and thick leggings covered her gently, hiding hide boots under fluff. "Where are the others?"  
   "Yes, even the half-Gem. He's among us, too'". Among their ranks was a half-gem named Steven. He was the son of Rose Quartz, the leader of the legendary rebellion centuries before. She had given herself up to shape into the Gem embedded in Steven’s stomach.  “He’s outside, talking to Wolfsbane”. Wolfsbane was a human who helped the Gems raise Steven. He was a wise man - he knew much and he told stories of the gods in a not-so-boring way. “Lead the way, Amethyst”. Amethyst sighed, shrugged and stood. Jasper followed her to the door, and sure enough, hidden in the shadows of thick, swirling blue cloaks and a wide-brimmed hat was Wolfsbane.  
  
    He smiled a knowing smile at the approaching Gems. Steven sat before Wolfsbane, swaddled in thick furs that ruffled in the chilly winds, almost hiding him completely, save for the poof of black-brown hair on his head. You could never see Wolfsbane’s face - he always sat in a way that he faced away from light to hide his face for whatever reason. That reason, the Gems could not grasp. Perched on his shoulders was a silver-eyed raven, and laying under his seat was a hunting hound with a shimmering, silvery coat. The beast lay asleep - yet Jasper still got chills from his rising and falling breath and the scars that covered him. Jasper shuddered when the man spoke, his voice ancient and creaking with age. “Hello, my friends”. He nodded a little nod as Amethyst and Jasper sat in front of Wolfsbane, either side of Steven. “I was just telling Steven the story of Odin and His hanging from Yggdrasil”.   
    “Yea! Like, why would He do that? He’s the Allfather! He’s got a lot to take care of!” Steven’s eyes shone in the light, soft brown orbs of joy. His messy, unkempt brown hair lay in tufts and poofs on his head, and almost blended in with the evenly-messy wolf pelt cloaks, which kept him warm from the chill.  
  “Odin did what He did for wisdom. He wanted knowledge for Himself, and He had sacrificed Himself to Himself. He had carved out His eye in order to take a drink from Mimir’s Well to aid Him in his quest. The Hooded One did what He did for wisdom, learning and knowledge. Something the curious Allfather had cherished. I’ve taught you this, Steven,” Wolfsbane said. “It is late, and I must go. The party’s still going on if you three want in on it - but I suggest Steven goes to bed. We have a big hunting trip tomorrow!”  
   “Yes, Steven. I suggest you come home,” spoke a cool voice from behind.   
   “Garnet!” Steven barked. “And Pearl!” He whipped around to meet their eye. Pearl’s Gem sat planted in her forehead, her steel armor reflecting the light. Her teal-blue eyes shone brightly in the light, her spear hidden somewhere unseen, perhaps stored in her Gem. Garnet stood beside her, swallowed up in bear pelt that hid most of her towering form. She was a Fusion - two Gems in one. Her right eye shone red, her left blue, and the third eye on her forehead glimmered a swirl of burgundy, blue and red. They glowed brightly in the distant firelight, yet she wore a plain expression, and stood just shorter than Jasper.  
   “Hello, Steven,” Garnet spoke smoothly and softly, her voice cool to the ears and eerily calming.  
   “Come on, let’s go. And hello, Wolfsbane,” Pearl added.  
   "Hello to you too, Pearl”.   
   “Aww! See you, Wolfsbane!” Steven stood as the man ran his hand through his silvery beard and chuckled deeply, calm and gentle yet almost eerie.   
   “Goodbye, Steven”. Jasper and Amethyst rose, and followed Steven, Pearl and Garnet from the porch. Wolfsbane sent them off with a small wave and a curt nod, before standing and making his way into the shadows of the silent village, followed by the hunting-hound, where he seemed to vanish into nothingness.  
  


-

[ The house was silent and still, Peridot and Lapis snoozing silently in the corner. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kaFDHmvLr_g) Topaz and Bismuth lay in a heap, Aquamarine perched on the pair like a small kitten, her sides rising and falling gently. Howlite, Snowflake and Obsidian lay leaning against each other, Malachite, Alexandrite, Sardonyx and Sugilite were awake, and the only four awake. Gems didn’t really need sleep, but they enjoyed it for many reasons; It helped relieve tension, relax them and give them a boost of energy. Garnet, Amethyst, Pearl, Steven and Jasper crept into their quarters silently, and laid down to rest. They were soon joined by Alexandrite, Malachite, Sardonyx and Sugilite, a still silence falling over the village as the night rode on, the full moon shimmering brightly in the sky above.

   Wind rushed around his head as he swooped and dove through the sky. Black feathers picked off of him as he beat his wings and fixed his eye on a small village. He recognized it as the village he lived in, a village named Imar - and he continued to fly, veering off to the full moon and the Aurora dancing through the skies. Mountains jabbed the sky like knives, and sitting on the peak of a mountain was an old, dead, torn-up stump. The bird dove towards the stump, chains curling around the rotted stump. They were made of solid ice, cold and tough. Unbroken. The bird swooped down towards the chains and landed in a flurry of wingbeats, sending black feathers everywhere. The chains, didn’t budge. The bird took off again, cawing loudly, and flew up higher than a bird should.

   “Steven! STEVEN!” Howlite stood over Steven, shaking him violently, her white eyes dilated in fear. His many comrades and companions stood around him, staring at him with concerning eyes. Wolfsbane was present in the door, the sun cascading behind him and elongating his shadow through the house. He smiled serenely, his raven fluttering in to circle above Steven. The hunting dog paced around and laid in the corner of the room they sat in with a huff, resting his head down over his paws.   
   “Wh-”   
   “You were yelling in your sleep. Something about a raven and some chains and then flying into nothingness above”. Snowflake checked Steven’s forehead for a fever.   
   “Nope, Snow. There’s not going to be a fever there,” Bismuth began as Steven sat and rubbed his head. Wolfsbane chuckled deeply.  
   "O-Oh, yea, just wanted to make sure..."  
   “Hey, Wolfsbane!” Steven smiled widely.    
   “Get your bow, and we can go”.

    [The village bustled with life as people emerged from the many huts everywhere through the village](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bmooZIyYUr0). Gems and humans alike lived in harmony here, a harmony all thanks to the Great Rebellion years ago. Steven skipped along, joy glimmering in his eyes as he waved and nodded at all the locals that greeted him joyfully. Such a happy place Imar was! Wolfsbane placed a hand on Steven’s shoulders to stop him. “Boy,” he said.  
   “Yes?”  
   “Calm yourself. We’re going to the Mountains for our trip”.  
   “That’s like, a three day walk!”  
   “No, no. Lapis will carry you”. Steven looked up, and sure enough gliding towards them on wings of water was Lapis, who landed before the pair, blinking bright-blue eyes at them. She wore a drab white robe, tattered and ruined and aged, clearly from her job as a labor-worker.   
   “What about you?”  
   “I will find my way to the peak. It’s topped with an old stone”. Lapis nodded, turning to Steven.  
   "You ready?"  
   "Yea," Steven began. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that Wolfsbane was lying about a hunting trip - he had a hunch that this was something far more. He blinked at Lapis, who smiled kindly and brushed a loose strand of navy-blue hair from her face.  
   “Alright, Steven”. Steven looked between Wolfsbane and Lapis as Lapis hunched forward in favor of allowing Steven to climb onto her back. Steven smirked and climbed onto Lapis’ back, the small Gem shifting.  
   "You comfortable?"  
   "Yea," Steven replied. And the pair flew off through the skies, the cold wind whipping around the pair, who were warmed only by their furs.

-

[Snow whipped about in a violent, stone-cutting cold.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Yllu0alZU)  Lapis had since returned home to Imar and left Steven alone on the peak to notify the others back home. What almost scared Steven, however, was the massive stump in front of him. A dead ash tree, like in his dream. Was this the same place? Oh, it had to be. He shuddered, and sat down against the stump. The sun had set, and a massive full moon glided across the skies. “Skoll and Hati, sons of Fenrir, will swallow the Moon and Sun,” he muttered to himself. “And you have the power to stop them - even if you don’t see it,” he sighed. “At least that’s what Wolfsbane told me”. He tossed his head. “Like that's a true tale”. A pack of wolves was eyeing him, baring their teeth and sniffing at the air - and all he had was a bow. If they inched in - he’d have no way to defend himself against these massive animals, who even then could overpower him in a second. They moved closer, snarling and bearing their teeth - and Steven curled in at their violent and hungry eyes. “Enough,” said a voice he didn’t know, yet did. “Leave him”. And moving among the pack of wolves was a figure shrouded in shadow...

-

       [“STEVEN!” Pearl bellowed.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wwKuFESols) The Gems held close to each other, their many axes and spears and swords shimmering in the moonlight as they walked, tied closely together.   
 “STEVEN! COME OUT HERE THIS INSTANT!” Garnet roared. Jasper sighed.  
 “STEVEN!” She yelled. “STEVEN, GODS DAMN IT!”   
 “I swear, if anything happens to that boy I’ll lose myself,” Snowflake ran to catch up with Bismuth, her black furs waving behind her and her golden eyes shining.  
 “Same,” Bismuth clapped Snowflake on the shoulder to stop her. “Rock”. Snow nodded.  
  “So there is,” and she hopped over the little stone that was a few inches from her toe. In time, they came across a form of chasm, which seemed to be darkness stabbing down into nothing, the ground unseen.  
“Don’t tell me he’s down there,” Sardonyx breathed. “Please, please, please…” She tossed her cloak over her head, trying to hide herself as much as she could as she sat down on a nearby stone.  
“STEVEN!” Sugilite roared down the chasm. The only thing that replied was the echo of ‘Steven’ bouncing back to the pack, Sugilite grunting in annoyance as she flounced her cloaks.  
   “STEVEN! GET UP HERE THIS INSTANT YOU - YOU…” Peridot barked down the chasm. ‘You’ was all that echoed back, the tiny Gem retreating back to lean against Lapis, who sadly draped an arm over the tiny green Gem's shoulders, adjusting the strap of her steely armor. Alexandrite was climbing down the chasm, six arms pulling her form down the cavern carefully.  
  "Alex? What are you doing?" Called Bismuth. Alexandrite looked up but said nothing, continuing her way.  
 The other Gems exchanged looks - Garnet shrugged at Pearl.  
   “And your vision can’t tell,” Pearl sighed in irritation, ruffling her hair and picking at her spear’s handle, her teal eyes dim with concern. “Anything about his location?”  
   “...No. There’s too many paths and possibilities”. Amethyst sat down, her feet hanging down the chasm as she breathed a hopeless sigh.  
   “Steven, we’re not playing games!” She called. For once, she was annoyed with the boy, yet her attention was grabbed by Malachite. Malachite paced around, climbing up and uprooting trees. Jasper was alone beside herself, Howlite was drawing in the muck. Snowflake squelched the muck between her boots, Topaz sat crying silently and Bismuth sent a boulder flying with the swing of her shape-shiftable hand - which took the shape of a hammer. Aquamarine sighed, her little wings fluttering her about. Lapis circled above, scanning. She was the only one that knew Steven’s location - yet she was forbidden to tell. Amethyst hopped back and Alexandrite threw herself out of the chasm. Their sudden appearance startled the Gems - causing Aquamarine to flutter over and ask;  
   “What? Did you find anything?"  
  “Something moved down there,” Alexandrite said. “Something huge”.  
  “Lindwyrm, probably,” suggested Obsidian, the genius when it came to life laying around. “Get your weapons ready”. The group gathered tightly and slowly made their way down the chasm, weapons clattering and clanging and banging off of each other as they descended into further darkness. Once they hit the bottom and taken a look around, trying their hardest to see, they had noted... the thing. Sure enough, curled in tight coils was what appeared to be a massive Lindwyrm - a large head, short and stubby legs with clawed feet, and six viciously glowing eyes. A muzzle protruded from its face, lined with needle-fine, needle-sharp teeth. The thing curled its lips in a sneerlike smile as the Gems made to draw their many weapons and gather together. Jasper took a glance at the floor - which was oddly patterned with mosaics of the finest tile that had since grown over with vines and other wild plants. In this place’s hayday, it must’ve looked gorgeous - flowing draperies that had since grown with moss, statues that had since lost their limbs and heads. The massive creature before them sniffed, its terrible nostrils flaring. It hung its jaw as it growled, a long forked tongue slipping between its teeth. The thing laughed - surprisingly a calm sound. A sound that eliminated all threat from its vile appearance. It closed its jaw and turned to whatever it was sitting in front of. It stood, its many claws clicking and scraping against stone. The beast stepped into the faint moon's light that peered into the chasm, the Gems gathering in a phalanx position, ready to spring out and attack should the beast before them be a threat. Its body was covered in soft scales, and bright, soft pastel colors of blue, green, purple and pink ran along its head to its barb-tipped tail. The colors blended together in swirls that seemed to shift and move whenever the thing moved - and several different gems dotted the space between its eyes and one massive gem sat on its chest, glittering in the light. The Lindwyrm-like Gem curled up on its coils - it still looked threatening with those glowing mint-green eyes and those fangs poking between its lip - yet it didn’t strike.  
   “It’s been a while since I’ve seen anyone”. Its voice was calm, slow and easy-spoken, dripping with age.  
   “Who are you?” Amethyst curled her whip between her fingers.  
   “I am Fluorite - leader of the Offcolors and the maintainer of the Temple you stand in”.  
   “Wh - Temple?” Pearl stepped forward and signaled to the group to lower their weapons.  
   “This is a sacred ground - the Temple of Odin”. The Gem curled its - her - lip and chuckled.   
   “The Temple? This place - it’s been abandoned since the Gems had arrived centuries ago,” Pearl said. “It was a gift to the humans after the Rebellion for their worships. It was hidden here to keep it safe during the rise of a foreign god so it wouldn’t get burned or smashed”.   
   “That is correct, my little Pearl”. Fluorite nodded, her nostrils flaring as she breathed. “The foreign religion spreading has been halted here in the North. We believe in sticking to our roots as mortals in Midgard”. Fluorite turned, her barbed tail swinging dangerously close to the Gems. “Since many have retreated to their villages and left this place due to how difficult it was to get to, the Temple has sat abandoned”. She flicked her barbed tail upwards, almost knocking the helmet off of Jasper’s head. “Come - I will show you the Temple itself”.

-

[ The pack of wolves parted, their ears pinned back and their tails brushing the ground in fear. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4h1vJHFqEQ4) Standing in their midst was the figure of a tall old man holding himself up with the shaft of a spear,  two silver-eyed ravens on either of his shoulders and two massive wolves loped along behind the old man, snapping at any of the smaller wolves that dare approach. Steven pressed his back against the stump-stone behind him and grabbed the bow beside him. He pulled his quiver close - he would attack if he has to. The old man continued forward, his silvery beard catching the light snow that fell. He wore a wide-brimmed hat and from somewhere underneath, a single bright blue eye shone at Steven. The moon and the Aurora above cast wavering lights along the ground, revealing the indents of the man’s boots and cloak in the fluffy white snow. Steven’s teeth chattered as he shuddered violently in the cold. The man held a serious air and his posture radiated wisdom, courage, strength, power and knowledge. It was a familiar feel, yet so unfamiliar. “W-W-Wolfsbane?” Steven stuttered between chattering teeth. “Is that you?” The man stopped in front of Steven and muttered something - an incantation, almost. Suddenly, Steven’s weapons were hot to the touch and he had no choice but to let go.  
   “No”.  
   “T-then who a-are you and w-why can’t I-I hold m-my bow?”  
   “I am the Wise One, the Hooded One, the Feared One. Wolf’s Bane, Incantation Whisperer. I know spells and incantations that will render those who hold a weapon against me unable to fight. I know incantations that will spring bonds from around my body.  
   I am the Seer, Speaker of Runes. I have trained you to this moment, dear boy. My Ravens have been watching you. The Sun and Moon have told me what you have done. I have raised you ‘till you were ready to face who I really am”. Steven sighed.  
 “I’m not playing games, Wolfsbane”.  
 “I am not playing games either, you are simply confused. Now listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. I am Ruler of Valhalla, King of Gods, Gungnir Thrower. I have enough titles for every man, beast, Gem and then some.  
 Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. I am Allfather, I hung from Yggdrasil for the wisdom I require, I sacrificed me to myself, I cut my eye for a sip of the Well of Mimir, I have wandered all Nine Worlds. You know who I am”. At this, the man withdrew His hat from His head and the cloaks from around His body. A wrinkled yet youthful face stared at Steven, a thick white beard hanging down to His chest. The Ravens and Wolves sat with Him as He stared at Steven, a single blue eye boring into his soul and reading every thought. “I am Odin the Allfather”.  
    Steven lost all feeling. A god, the Father of Men was right here in front of him - talking to him. The man who raised him was Odin Himself, and the Ravens to His left and right was Huginn and Muninn. The Wolves were Geri and Freki and the Spear was Gungnir. “I-”  
  
  [“Silence yourself, Steven. I have brought you here for a reason.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj9jkVQS-No) Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. Idunn’s Trees are fruitless and ill - we are growing weaker and weaker day by day. Without Idunn’s Apples we cannot remain as we are, we are too weak to fight and I fear Ragnarok is coming soon. We need your help - the gods have assembled in Valhalla and you...   
    The Gems will rule with you, with their comrades. You will become gods, and fight in Ragnarok in our steads. Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. The gods are dying and you will take my place”.  
    “B-but, Allfather! I can’t! I’ll never be as good as You - I’m scared!” Steven shuddered, curling in on himself from the sudden breeze that blew powdery snow around the peaks.    
   “Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. I chose you for a reason - don’t prove my intuition wrong. Don’t let us down”. Odin sighed, His lips parting. “I understand you are scared, and I can’t blame you. This is a very scary thing for a boy such as you,” Odin inched closer to Steven, sitting on the snow in front of him. Geri and Freki laid either side of the pair, the two Ravens staring at Steven with beady silvery eyes. Odin placed a tender hand on Steven’s cheek, His wrinkled and leathery skin surprisingly soft against Steven’s smooth face. “Though it’ll be OK. I believe in you and I always had believed in you”. Woah. This was a lot - the Allfather Himself believed in a lowly mortal like Steven. Tears welled in the boy’s eyes and froze against his face. Odin, with the flick of His thumb, brushed the tiny ice crystals away and removed His hand from Steven’s face to pat his shoulder. Steven met Odin’s single eye and smiled confidently.  
  “I’ll do it. I’ll do it for You and all the gods”. Steven swallowed hard.  
 Odin smiled a sweet smile, His lips folding into a thin crease. “That’s the boy I raised you to be. Now, listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. I foresee that this will be a long and hard journey, full of wonder and awe as well as suffering and pain. Do not fret - you will be OK in the end, as is your destiny. Now, listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. This is a sacred and dangerous process that we have called Ascension. You, are the first to start your Ascension and the first to become a god. I cannot just give you the power - you must survive first. Nine weeks, here on the mountain”. Steven’s eyes widened in fear.  
 “Can I go back?”  
 “No”. Oh gods, what did Steven just walk himself into?  “You will be bound to this stump by chains that are stronger than Fenrir’s Bindings. To escape is to die instantly. You will have nothing, you must brave the cold and the Mountain on your own”. Odin stood and shuffled over to a small spot in the snow. He stared at it and held His hand over the spot, muttering under His breath. In a brilliant flash, a perfectly square-shaped hole opened up.   
  “What are you-”  
 “Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. Let us get started. Give me your furs and cloaks”.  
 “Are You trying to kill me, Allfather?”  
 “No. Give me your cloaks, now, or I will feed you to my Wolves”. As if in response to the threat, Steven seemed to lose all control of his movements and he was taking off everything he wore - even reaching for his loincloths. “Keep that on, this is enough”. Steven, as if coming out of a trance, withdrew his hand to his sides.  
 “What’re You doing to me?”  
 “Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe,” Odin chuckled as He dropped the cloaks into the hole in the stone and the hole suddenly snapped shut. “Sit still and you will wait here for nine weeks, bound by the chains Moonshine”. As He spoke, thick icy chains rose to meet His hand. “You will stay here, yes…” Soon, a pile of massive chains clanked to the stone. Steven sighed and closed his eyes, getting comfortable against the stump.   
 “Are you sure this is going to work?”  
 “Yes, I’m sure”. Steven felt searing cold dance against his skin as the chains curled around him and tightened. “You are loosely tied, yet to escape means death”. Steven opened his eyes, and sure enough, thick blue chains like the ones in his dream were loosely wrapped around him. He tried to lift his arm - but these chains must’ve weighed more than a mountain. Yet they felt like nothing against his skin.  
   “Nine weeks, eh? Would the Gems find me?”   
   “No”. Odin withdrew. “Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. You are our only hope. Do not prove my choices wrong”.

-

  [Fluorite’s tail carefully lashed above the group as they walked, the Fusion’s claws clacking and scraping against stony tiles.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7wwKuFESols) “So - lemme get this straight,” Jasper said. “There’s Rhodonite, the Rutiles, Padparadscha and  yourself”.  
 “Yes, that’s the lot of us,” Fluorite arched her tail, her barb running against the ceiling with a terrible scraping noise. She swung her tail down, almost impaling poor Obsidian, who fell back to dodge out of the way. The Permafusion continued to ramble on, telling her life story. She turned her head and craned her neck to assess the chaos her tail has turned the Gems into. Sardonyx was trampling Malachite, Alexandrite and Topaz were wrestling over their tangled armor… Obsidian and Snowflake exchanged tired looks, and all Fluorite did was chuckle as the Gems regained themselves with some struggle. They continued down the corridor, soon coming to a colossal domed room easily higher than a cathedral ceiling. It was gorgeous - clean drapes depicting various gods of all shapes and types and sizes hung all over the walls and from the ceiling, statues and altars of every god of Asgard and Vanaheim perched in-tact on neat altars, the stone floor was polished to a fine sheen, braziers glowed with elegant blue flame, lighting the room like sunlight. In the middle of the room, however, was a statue that almost stood to the domed ceiling. It was the Allfather on the back of His eight-legged horse, Sleipnir. The Wolves Geri and Freki bounded alongside him and Huginn and Muninn sat on the Allfather’s shoulders. The Spear Gungnir was clipped to Allfather’s back, reaching so high up that the wooden head seemed to stab the ceiling. The Gems were taken aback - this was the Temple of Legends, all right. It was in perfect shape and it wasn’t crawling with weeds and broken-down like the foyer was.  
   “Fluorite’s back!” Said a small voice.  
   “She’s back?” Said the same voice.  
   “I predict Fluorite will be back - and she has some friends with her!” A new, softer voice said.  
   “I don’t know if these ‘Friends’ are gonna fly here…” A deep voice spoke.  
   “Gems, these are the Offcolors, come forward, all of you”. With the flick of the tail, the Gems knew Fluorite was signalling them forward. They all came together, weapons away. Standing in front of them was three figures - one, had deep-red skin and long hair and their torso was split down the middle as if cut with an axe. Two heads sat on two necks on this split torso, and her exposed gem split in a ‘Y’ shape at the split of her torso.  
  “H-hi,” said the right head.  
  “We’re the Rutile Twins,” said the left.   
   “I predict we’re introducing ourselves! I’m Padparadscha!” A small defective Sapphire with bright-orange hair and skin stepped forward, almost tripping over her boots if it wasn’t for Garnet catching her and letting her gain her footing. “Thank you,” said the tiny Gem.  
    “The name’s Rhodonite”. A large snake poked forward, her two arms crossed over her Gem. The other Gem below shone and glittered in the flickering light. A long, forked black tongue slipped between her fangs as she smiled, her four eyes glimmering a shade of deep violet. She curled up on her coils and held out her hands. Small, claw-like nails filed to a point shone black as she admired them with a sigh. Dark purple, black and magenta dotted her body in sharp angled lines and jagged markings. Fluorite curled beside Rhodonite, the two Fusions looking at each other for a second.   
    “These are the Crystal Gems,” Fluorite began. “They’re here from the village nearby. They told me they’re looking for a young boy named Steven. Introduce yourselves, please”.  
    “I’m Obsidian”.  
 “I’m Snowflake… Obsidian”.  
 “The name’s Bismuth!”  
 “Jasper”.  
 “Lapis Lazuli!”  
 “Garnet”.  
 “Amethyst”.  
 “Pearl, pleased to meet you!”  
 “Malachite~!”  
 “Alexandrite’s the name!”  
  "I'm Sardonyx".  
  “Howlite - you’ve got an interesting Temple here”.  
 “Topaz - and Topaz”.  
 “Aquamarine, but call me Aqua”.  
 “I’m Sugilite. There’s a lot to smash here… But I’ll wait for the call”.  
    The Gems stood proudly alongside each other, yet anxiety radiated off of them like heat from a fire. “Welcome to the Temple,” Fluorite spoke after a long silence. “The home of the Offcolors - as it has been for the past three-hundred years”.  
 “We were forced to live here because both humans and Gems alike didn’t like us. Fluorite and I look too much like dragons for everyone’s comfort. I, think we’re fine, however”. Rhodonite reached out to touch a part of Fluorite’s neck, whispering something to her. The other Fusion tossed her head away with a hiss as Rhodonite nuzzled up against her in an act of almost-submission.  
 “And Padparadscha is a broken Sapphire. She can only predict things two minutes after it happens or while it happens. The poor child got rejected and she was eventually chased away. As for us, we were looked at as freaks for our conjoined form,” the Rutiles explained, a sigh escaping the right head as the left head spoke. “So we took Paddy and ran”.   
    “And we were attacked,” Fluorite said, turning her neck to reveal a massive patch of skin that was torn right off the side of her neck. Soft, red-pink flesh clashed with the soft colors of her scales in an intimidating yet ugly mess. “I was the only one that got hurt, luckily. Then all we had was each other”.  
     For hours and hours the Offcolors and Gems talked, soon the fact that Steven was missing leaving the Gems’ mind. They stood in the Temple for quite some time, telling stories and bonding and soon, as a group, leaving the Temple. It was hard for the Offcolors - this Temple was all they had ever known, and here it was - gone with the wind like some distant memory. Fluorite hopped up the cliff wall with ease, Rhodonite following behind. The Rutiles held Padparadscha - who cried the whole way up - and the Gems led them on. Soon, they were standing on dark muck again, and the truth of how long they had been down came forward. They weren’t there for six hours - they were there for six weeks. “Steven,” Garnet muttered. “Gods, I knew this was going to happen,” the Fusion continued to herself. “Calm down, Sapphire”. “But I can’t - oh, we should’ve said something!” The Fusion raised her voice and fell to her knees, and in a brilliant flash split up. Sapphire sat, trembling with sobs. Ruby curled beside her.   
   “Calm down, dear”. The Gems and the Offcolors stood in a circle around the two smaller Gems, watching. Anything could happen when you’re a Fusion - and they were ready. “I think he’s fine,” Ruby said to Sapphire.  
  “No! He’s… He’s not. He’s probably dead by now and… There’s so many different impossible outcomes and…” Ruby took Sapphire into her arms, patting her on the back.  
  “I’m scared too, I have to confess. Who knows what happened to him, we don’t even know where he is!” The pair sat like this for a long silence, the Gems and Offcolors shifting uncomfortably in the silence.  
 “Not even a lead as to where he is,” Malachite said, breaking the silence.  
“No,” Sapphire stood and fused again - Garnet stood scratching the back of her neck.  
 “No leads at all,” she finished. “So - let’s get going”.

-

  [He’s been up here on the mountain peek now for forty-two suns and forty-three moons.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_Yllu0alZU) And the Gems still hadn’t found him. He was starving - his lungs hurt from the cold when he breathed, and he could see his ribs poking through his soft skin, patches of his skin was frost-bitten and barely hanging on, and all he could think about was dying at any minute and going to Hel. Or, since he’s doing a favor for the Allfather, getting a special pardon and getting to Valhalla or Folkvangr. Yet Steven doubted it. He was going to die soon, and he knew it. Ninety-one suns and ninety-one moons was how long he was going to stay here - he had roughly forty-eight days left to go here, yet he was certain his weak and frail body was going to give out and he was to die here. He stared up at the shimmering white moon and the Aurora dancing through the sky - the last things he was certain to see before he passes on to the afterlives. He felt it in his gut - the moon shone for him and the Aurora danced for him. Mani seemed to smile down at Steven from His perch in the heavens, pursued relentlessly by Skoll, Son of Fenrir. The bright dragon of the Aurora glided between the moon and the heavens, coloring the silvery moon shades of greens and blues that stained the snow in mosaics of color. He still couldn’t believe it - Odin Himself left Steven here to die instead of somehow keeping him alive. With a heavy and tired head, Steven rested his head back against the stump, snow piling up on him from the coming blizzard. He closed his eyes, thinking of nothing but which afterlife he was about to go to. Had the Gems forgotten about him or gave up cause thinking he was dead or the like? _‘Most certainly’_ , he thought to himself. _‘The Gems had forgotten me, and now I’m going to die here alone’_. With a heavy heart, a racing mind and aching organs, he fell asleep - ready to walk to the gates of the three afterlives possible, and to enter one of the three under the instruction of... He didn't know.  


-

 [“Why did I fail you,” Jasper breathed between heavy sobs. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCRxZL5TYHU)“Oh, Allfather…” She whispered. “Protect Steven wherever he is. Guide him through wherever he is and hold him beside you. Odin, protect him…” Her shoulders shook hard as she sharply breathed in, thick tears streaming down the Quartz’s face. “Steven… Why did I fail you? I… I promised your mother I’d protect you… Yet here I am, and I failed her dying wish…” Jasper looked up at the dull morning skies. She had been here all night, mourning the death of Steven. It’s been 8 weeks since he went missing and no one was able to find the poor boy. Steven was like Jasper’s son - she always wanted to have children of her own, but couldn’t. Ever since Rose had died, telling Jasper all these truths and stories, Jasper had sworn her life to the baby. She watched him grow, she protected him and nurtured him. She and the Gems would’ve been nowhere if it wasn’t for Wolfsbane, who had also gone missing. Jasper still couldn’t fight a hunch that the deaths were all connected, somehow, someway to something farther from any mortal mind and idea. Nah, that was impossible. She was yanked suddenly to reality when she felt a small hand touch her shoulders and something small curl up in her lap. She looked down - Lapis was sitting leaning against Jasper, tucked tight against her chest. Jasper almost instinctively wrapped her arms around Lapis and held her, planting a small kiss on her head. “I need you so much right now,” she whispered.    
   “I know”. Lapis turned her head and met Jasper’s eyes - beautiful orbs of bright sky-blue met Jasper’s deep orange-gold eyes. Lapis’ dark blue hair was soft against Jasper’s hand as she stroked her head contently, and her pale blue skin felt warm against hers. “I know he was like your son. I know he meant everything to you”. Lapis sighed. “And he meant everything to all of us”. Lapis smiled weakly, clearly a forced smile. Jasper sighed, her shoulders shaking with a sob. She jumped back in surprise when Lapis suddenly pressed up on to Jasper’s lips in a brief, two-millisecond kiss. Jasper blushed furiously, looking Lapis in the face with a look of confusion and awe.  
   “L-Lapis?” Lapis snapped her head away, a deep-blue blush dancing across her smooth face.   
   “T-that was to make you feel better. Or at least t-try. Or something, I don’t know…” Lapis stumbled suddenly when Jasper kissed her in return, holding the kiss for a second.  
   “That, was a thank-you. That really… It really did make me feel better. That was also luck…” Lapis blushed a sharp, deep hue of blue as Jasper chuckled, flicking some tears from her eyes. Jasper stood and held her hand out to her friend-but-maybe-more-than-friend with a smile. Lapis gingerly took Jasper’s hand and pulled herself up with a grunt.  
   “So. We should get home - the Gems are probably looking for you and we can’t have them thinking we’re lost for good now”.

-

[ The house was as neat and tidy as it usually was.  ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOfivwkt1Tk) The Gems chatted between each other with the air of a family that gets along quite well. The only thing that was off was the fact that Steven wasn’t chatting up a violent whirlwind or singing with the household. It was dead and empty - and it had reminded the Gems of their failures to protect Steven and left the Offcolors wishing they could help. The still silence almost tormented them - they hated everything about Steven being gone. “What should we do,” Sugilite sighed. “I’m bored”.   
 “Same,” Howlite grunted as she sat up.   
“Dragon’s Wing is open,” Sardonyx suggested.    
“But it won’t be the same without Steven and Wolfsbane taking the crowd by storm with their music and stories,” Jasper held her head in her hands. The way others told the stories were bland and boring - it never matched up to how Steven and Wolfsbane told the stories. Lapis sat leaning against Jasper’s back, arms crossed and a bored, lost-in-thought expression was planted on her face firmly.    
“Jass, we should just go and get some drinks - unwind for a while, y’know?” Lapis stood up and Jasper straightened herself.   
 “Yes, we should go,” Pearl said. “It’ll be a great opportunity to catch up with the locals”.   


[ Dragon’s Wing was packed to near-exploding by Gems, humans and their assortment of wild pets and companions. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWpe2ppRRGg) The scene was warm and welcoming - peace radiated off of the people of all shapes, sizes and even thousand-year age difference through the tavern. A large, burly bard strummed away on some sort of stringed instrument and a small domesticated-breed dragon plucked at the strings with his human. The massive bear of a bartender served up drinks with the help of his lynx, and people and Gems alike danced and shoved through the crowd. The moment the door opened and Jasper’s massive form shoved through the door, the entire tavern went silent. Jasper looked around and smiled. “Hey,” she said. She turned to the massive Topaz at the bar and snapped her fingers. “Come on, where’s the mead? Let’s get this party happenin’!” The Gems filed in behind the huge Quartz, and the whole village-sized tavern burst into life again.

  
-  
  


[ The same wolf has been staring Steven down for the past while, a bright-white coat and piercing pink eyes. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U62YkXZNs8M) The boy swore that this wolf was the figment of his near-dead, buried-in-snow state. Perched on its back was a huge black raven - with deep magenta eyes. He weakly rubbed his eyes, the Moonshine Chains weighing more by the minute. The boy tossed his head at the animal, the size of a horse, creeping in on him. A small black speck seemed to appear on the wolf’s forehead and grew larger - and soon it appeared in Steven’s blurry vision. It was a Rune, he knew that. It looked like this:

**ᚨ**

He sighed. “What is this,” he weakly muttered. He couldn’t even remember a name at this point, not a single inking as to what this Rune was struck him. The wolf sat in front of Steven, his snout barely an inch from his nose. “B-back, boy,” he whispered weakly.   
“Rise. You have sat here for nine weeks,” the wolf spoke. Steven was taken aback by this wild-dog suddenly speaking to him. What was going on? Animals can’t talk! 

-

 [ _Bang._](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4BFRYoVtIg) _Bang, bang, tink, hiss._ Hence was the sound of her forge, hence was the sound of her heartbeat and everything she was made of. She slammed her hammer-hand down hard on the thing before her, stretching the metal out and working the metal to a fine curved end. “PUMP THE BELLOWS, SINDRI!” She roared. She whirled around, her curtain of rainbow dreadlocks swirling around her head in a neon-lit rainbow in the light of her massive forge. A large Fire-Maned Lion bounded beside her through the massive hall, heated like the heart of a volcano. His flaming mane flickered and danced, the end of his tail blazing as the Gem astride him worked. She swiftly tossed the blade in a vat of water and pulled it out - it was a finely sharpened cutlass with a pointed tip that was so fine and so sharp it’ll chop through anything in a second.  
   The Gem turned to the Dwarves behind her. “Brokk, Sindri, I’ve got to go to Midgard. Hold down the fort when I’m gone, OK? I’ve got to get down to…” With the click of her tongue and a finger-gun in the direction of the Dwarves, she said: “...Bismuth!” The flaming lion beside her brushed against her side and vanished into a star-shaped tattoo on her arm which glittered black against her skin. She went at a run towards the exit cave’s mouth and made a grand leap out of the cave, her large neon-rainbow wings swirling with color and bright patterns as she shot them out at her sides, beating them and righting herself in the air of the massive cavern she flew through. “Good morning, Svartalfheim,” she muttered. “Or night? I dunno. Haven’t seen the sun in weeks!” She spoke to herself in silence, pitching up through a massive hole. In a bright flash of light and a deafening bang that shook the cavern, she vanished into nothing, leaving the cavern in dark again.

-

[ She landed in front of a massive Temple carved into the heart of a mountain. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2LIEQsZQew) Stairs pitched up to two massive stone doors that haven’t been opened in gods know how long, decorated with images of gods and beasts battling. She knew what it was - a prophecy of Ragnarok, the inevitable end-of-ends. The Forge Goddess sighed and crept up the stairs, looking around for anything or anyone that could spot her. Her Ascension was short and involved a competition - she was to compete with the greatest Dwarves in Svartalfheim’s history; to win means she becomes the Goddess of Fire and the patron goddess of Svartalfheim and Dwarves as well as mortal blacksmiths everywhere. To lose means she is to be killed. Clearly, she won and became said Goddess of Flame and Forge, and this victory was evident in the fact that she had massive wings folded to her back. It was a neon rainbow that perfectly matched her dreadlocks - bright-oranges, blues, teals, violets, reds and many, many other colors swirled through her feathers which quivered in the arctic wind of the mountain peak. She didn’t feel any cold, however. She was the Goddess of FIRE, for gods’ sake! Her very blood boiled hot like lava and her heart was enveloped in flame. Well, not literally but she sure felt warm like said lava-blood and fire-heart were actually part of her and not some huge metaphor for her personality and all that. She stopped in front of the door and muttered something under her breath and before her, this Rune appeared:

**ᚲ**

She smiled. This was HER Rune - Kenaz, the Torch. The Rune of Flame spelled itself out in front of her in a thin line of hovering, blazing orange flame before vanishing. The Kaunaz Runes that decorated the door flashed, and the goddess placed her hand on the door. She pushed it open with all of her strength; and the door creaked open just enough for her to shove inside. She door slammed behind her with an echoing bang. Gods, she hoped no one heard that. She sighed to herself and made her way through the Temple, light blazing to life in the Temple as she snapped her fingers and all the braziers lit up with a never-dying black flame. She drew the freshly-forged sword (which turned out to be two short swords attached to massive chains) from her side and placed it down on the ground in front of a huge statue of the god named Tyr. With a sigh, she muttered; “These chained blades called the Berserkir’s Blades are for the Goddess of War. She will come to them, and use them well”. She looked up at the night sky through an opening in the Temple roof, and she shot skyward as fast as she could. As she hurdled skywards, clouds began to gather and form in a portal. With a bang, she vanished and reappeared in Svartalfheim. The Beserkir’s Blades were her final project - and now to rest. 

-

[ Steven sat squirming on the ground. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G3k0YufjNfE) He was starving, sore, frostbitten and in general pain. He cried out, his cries echoing back to him from the mountains in what he knew was some sort of afterlife. He was dead - he knew it, he FELT it. He HAD to be dead. Nine weeks in utter cold like this? Yea. He was dead. No doubt about it. He tried to stand, but the chains restrained him. Odin’s words came back to him then - “To escape is to die”. This wasn’t making any damn sense to him - he was dead, why would it matter? He stood, the chains wrapping around him shattering and clattering loudly to the ground. He shuddered from the cold, snow rolling off of his bare body. His Gem was cloudy and chipped, dirtied and scuffed. Oh. That little thing must’ve been keeping him alive. The land began to glow and he looked around sharply. The sun hadn’t rose yet, so why was everything lit up? He looked down. He was the one who was glowing, and hovering off of the ground enveloped in a bright golden light. Well, this is it. His weak soul was going to be ripped from his body and he was going to fall limp and still against the snow again. He felt a searing pain along his shoulder blades, a fire that even the cold of his mountain perch couldn’t cool. He closed his eyes - a feel of euphoria and energy flowed through him. He no longer felt any pain, he felt nothing but strength burning through his muscles like a raging fire. The pain in his shoulder blades felt like nothing under his pride and joy, his euphoria of being released from those chains and this new… joy, he couldn’t explain. He felt every bone in his body burning and his muscles twitching and shifting under his skin. He almost jumped when he felt his bare feet touch the snow again - it was cold, but a tolerable and gentle cold. He felt the sharp shrapnel of broken ice against his feet as he crunched the snow under his sole and between his toes. He opened his eyes and looked down, almost collapsing at the sight before him.   
 He was swallowed up in fine pink robes, decorated in ornate gold patterns in the finest thread. The robes dragged behind him in the snow and the hood covering his head felt warm and soft. He held out his arms to admire the clothing he was somehow given - it was something not even the richest kings could afford. He smiled to himself and felt at his Gem - a perfectly-cut star-shaped spot in his robes exposed his glimmering Quartz Gem. His pink eyes glittered brightly as he admired what he could see of himself. He laughed. “Woah,” he said to himself. “I must be dead. Certainly I’m dead”. He looked up, expecting to see the stars and the Aurora. No - he was looking through the golden leaves of a massive ash tree. The bark was silver in color and hanging from the branches were massive pink-skinned fruit. He hopped up and grabbed one, biting into its tender and juicy flesh. It was like a peach in texture - how he knew what a peach felt like, he didn’t know - and the pit was deep-black and diamond-shaped. It was unbelievably sweet, he thought he was going to die again eating something so delicious. The bit fruit’s flesh was pink like his eyes and almost did look like an eye - almost, but not quite. He bent over and picked up an ice link from the Moonshine Chains and sighed. He looked at himself and met his eye - they were different. The same neon-pink that they always were, but his pupil was diamond-shaped. Woah. The fruit basically was his eye! He turned to the tree and stroked its surface - a piece of weak bark fell, revealing bright-pink wood covered in a thin layer of magenta sap. He licked the sap off of his finger and shuddered. If that fruit wasn’t good enough, this sap sure was. He heard stories of Yggdrasil’s sap being sweet enough to sustain bees, but this stuff was far better. He shook his head as he felt a dull itch on the back of his neck. He reached over to scratch it - and almost collapsed in awe when he felt the frame-arm of a wing. He felt the other side, and decided to try and move them. Massive pink wings flared out at his sides, almost knocking him over as the bright-pink feathers caught the wind. His back felt a chill - massive, ornate gashes in the back of his robes allowed space for his wings to poke from. What was he? He shuddered thinking about it. Was he an Einherji who skipped the Valhalla process and was made one of them off-the-bat? Wait, Einherjar didn’t have wings! And he was male so he couldn’t have been a Valkyrie unless they made an exception for him… He sighed. No, Steven, no. He sat against his tree, thinking. What had Odin said to him?  _ ‘The gods are dying, Steven. Listen to me and listen well, Steven Universe. The gods are dying and you will take my place’ _ . No, impossible. There’s no way a mortal can become a god. But what if it was? Yes, yes… He felt that that was right. Wait, does this mean he’s immortal? Wait ‘till he tells the Gems! He shuddered, a tingling sense of joy erupting all through him and making him shake, all down to the tips of his flight-feathers. He hopped up, looking to the skies. He’s never flown before! He looked around and made a step. A yelp sounded and an irritated caw. He crouched down. “Oh, I’m so sorry!”   
“It’s alright, Steven”. The wolf spoke, standing up. “Or do you prefer your title, Rose Allfather? That is what you’re called now”. This confirmed Steven’s suspicious.    
“...The title’s OK,” he didn’t know why he said it - he loved his name, he didn’t want ‘Rose Allfather’ to be his new name. The wolf nuzzled him and vanished in a flash. Steven shuddered. This was a nightmare-turned-good-dream that was slowly ending. He looked around for his companion - yet the mark of a howling wolf on his right hand caught his eye. It was in a deep-black ink and glittered in the moonlight. The raven that he about crushed landed on his shoulder and nipped his ear before vanishing into a tattoo on his left hand of a raven and a tree - the very tree they stood by. He sobbed, tears rolling down his face in pure joy. 

[  So much joy, in fact, he found himself beating his wings and shooting into the air, his pink feathers quavering as he flew ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wj9jkVQS-No) . The young god dove and swooped between mountain peaks, soon leaving his tree behind as he looped around. Mani seemed to spur his chariot and follow the god almost playfully, the Aurora flying alongside him. He snapped his wings shut and hurdled towards the ground, and at the last second he snapped his wings open and pitched into the air again. Wow. He just got these wings and he already knew how to use them and Lapis didn’t even need to give him flying lessons! He glided along, looking down on his world that he was seeing from a literal new perspective. He circled around, his pink wings shimmering in the moonlight. He shot down, soon going at a glide again. He had to find home - no matter where it was. ‘ _ Home, home, home, where are you, _ ’ the god thought. Suddenly, a void of light appeared in the sky and almost instinct-against-his-will he flew into it and with a rattling bang vanished.

-

[ Steven beat his wings furiously, trying to right himself as he fell. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=urmVem54aRI) Before he knew it, he was rolling across the ground and tangling himself up in feathers. Tall, white walls towered over him as he lifted his head, two massive golden gates pulling open before him as he stood. He felt a nudge, and sure enough the wolf was beside him again. The raven swooped over and landed on his shoulder, preening himself as the god proceeded through the gates. The grandest, most beautiful yard greeted him, plants of all kinds blossomed in a gorgeous yard. Yet that was nothing compared to the massive palace rising before him, grand white walls as high as he can look, golden decorations and balconies… This was not home. “This isn’t home,” he muttered.    
 “No, no, my dear child. It is your home,” said a beautiful voice behind him. Standing behind him was a goddess with flowing white robes and jewelries of the finest craft that glittered in the sun. “Welcome to Asgard, Rose Allfather”.   
“Freya,” Steven said. “It’s an honor to finally meet you!”   
“No, no, it’s my honor to meet you,” She spoke. The titanic goddess knelt down in a bow to Steven and lightly stroked his cheek with Her soft, soft hand. “You’re way cuter than I expected; way smaller even. But remember this; you’re perfect just the way you are,” She said, Her voice as calming as the gentle ripple of a small fountain. “And don’t you forget any of that”. She smiled, Her lips perking in a small, approving smirk. “Allow me to take you inside - the other gods are excited to meet you! Thor’s prepared some drinks and Idunn made you a tart - She knows those are your favorite. Odin told us what you liked before He left to Ascend you. We hope you enjoy”.

-

  [The Hall of Valhalla was chaotic.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hn5vfUA2rTU) Einherjar and Valkyries alike danced between towering gods and each other, drinking away and feasting on the finest foods one can imagine. Freyja placed a gentle hand on Steven’s back as if guiding him through the crowd. Wherever the goddess walked, Einherjar and Valkyries stopped their playful chaos to goggle at the beauty that is Freya. In time, Steven reached the center of the Hall where towering gods sat on thrones and goofed off. Asgard was a happening place, that was for certain. Freya raised Her hand and silence fell - and She spoke. “Dear gods of Asgard and the visiting gods of Vanaheim,” Her voice was loud and booming and filled the room with a tense, listen-well air. “I bring to you Steven, the Rose Allfather who will take the place of Odin”. She held Steven up, showing him off to the crowd which began to cheer loudly. Steven smiled and waved, flaring out his pink wings and feeling like a huge show-off.   
“Ah-haha!, he’s puny!” Laughed a god to Steven’s right. His lips were scarred from an instance years ago when this god wagered His head over gifts from Dwarves. He had said that if He had lost the bet, the Dwarves would take His head. The god then said that they can take His head but no part of His neck. In fury, one of the Dwarves sown the god’s lips together with an awl. The god was Loki - Deceiver of The Gods and Father of The Wolf. Steven blushed.  
“H-hey, Loki. It’s good to see you too”. Loki continued to cackle loudly, His voice echoing.  
“Loki, show some respect,” spoke another god. His beard and hair was bright-red and He wore thick battle armor. His hammer called Mjolnir sat against His hip - He was Thor, God of Thunder. “Steven here is here for a reason”. The god carefully leaned in and smiled a knowing smile at Steven.   
   “Where is he going to stay?” Asked another god who smelled of sea and fish. He was Njord, God of Sea. He came from His home of Noatun by the seas. “I don’t think Valhalla can accommodate this boy yet. What do you think Rose Allfather?”  
   “Well… I do have a home in Midgard with the Gems,” Steven spoke. “I would like to go back there”. The gathered gods looked between each other.  
   “He can borrow my Goats - I don’t think Tannjostnir and Tanngrisnir would mind,” Thor offered.  
   “No, no, too… Thor, I’ll say that. You can hold onto your Goats, buddy”. Thor chuckled.   
   “Just offerin’, Steven!”  
   “Ha - he can…” Loki cracked up, snorting loudly. “RIDE A LADYBUG!” He cackled and fell back out of His seat, the throne sending a pack of Einherjar and Valkyries fleeing and sounding an epic bang that could’ve shattered Midgard with a sonic-boom.   
   “Ignore that Loki,” Njord began. “He’s been more wild than usual”. The Sea God sighed. “You can borrow one of my ferries”.  
   “Nah, that’s too… you”. The Sea God smiled softly. “But thanks for the offering”.  
   “You can take one of my cats. I bet you they’d like you”. Freya smiled warmly, Her face as alluring and beautiful as ever.  
   “Nah, I bet you they have cat stuff to do like sleep all day”. Steven sighed. “You know - I could fly”. A pause. “Nah, nah… Do you guys have any horses?”  
   “...Yes,” Freya said, standing. “His name is Sleipnir”. In a second, Loki stopped laughing.  
   “I’ll go get him!” And so, the Trickster was off and within a minute came in leading a horse with a fine gray coat and… eight legs. “Here you are, Steven. I’m sorry I made fun of you”.  
   “It’s fine, Loki, it’s OK”.   
   “Woah, look at that. He forgave me!” Loki laughed. He really didn’t get forgiven often. “Now, let’s saddle you up. Sleipnir goes fast, I’ll warn you that”.  
   “With eight legs, no kidding!” Freya very carefully set Steven on the horse’s back.\  
   “You better come home soon, don’t make me set a curfew!” Thor spoke again. Steven laughed.  
   “I’m way, WAY off my curfew with the Gems right now. They think I’m dead,” Steven laughed. “Wait ‘till I tell them this tale!” He laughed and patted Sleipnir’s neck.   
   “See you later, Steven,” Freya said calmly. “Come back soon, Rose Allfather”. Steven smiled.  
   “Will do!” And he kicked Sleipnir and with a bellowing whinny and the sound of what would be two horses galloping on wood at a high speed, Steven and his new steed were off.

-

[The moon shone silvery in the night skies, beautiful and calm as the Gem crept towards the pond.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifQ3JRS4gqc) The whole small lake seemed to glow silvery with the moonlight, glittering silver flowers growing around trees darkened by the shadows of night. She was in a state of euphoria, singing silently to herself under her breath. The Gem smiled to herself, looking up towards the heavens as she sat on the bank of the river, watching a various assortment of fish swim gracefully through the water. The Fusion sighed, rubbing her hands together. The way her Gems scraped together tickled slightly, but she didn’t mind it. The Gem sat staring at the glowing water, a small smile creasing her lips as her three eyes blinked slowly. Anything to find Steven again, anything to have what she lost back.   
“Garnet,” whispered a voice behind her. She snapped her head up, her three eyes glittering quite curiously. “Garnet,” said the voice again. She looked around. “Look down”. She did so, and almost collapsed back in terror. The severed head of a man floated in the water, staring up at her with calm orange eyes and a friendly smile.  
“M-Mimir?” Garnet squeaked, sitting up.  
“Yes, it’s me”. He stared up at Garnet.  
“I am here to tell you what happened to Steven. You are going to experience it too,” He said, His uneven smile warming. “He is not dead”.  
“Wh- that’s impossible, Mimir”.  
“So is talking to a floating head”. Garnet sighed. This head sure had her beat. “So. What was I saying? You’re going to join Steven”.  
“So you’re going to kill me?”  
“No. I’m going to separate Ruby and Sapphire and both of you will be decapitated and your heads will float in my Well”. Garnet shuddered at the mere thought.  
  “No! You’re not separating Ruby and Sapphire! AND, you’re not decapitating them!” Garnet stared down at Mimir with a glare of fury.  
  “Yes I am. The gods have chosen you for a reason, Garnet. You’re going to become a god in a process called Ascension”.   
  “That’s impossible”.  
  “Oh, really now? Then what happened to Steven?”  
  “He’s dead!”  
  “No, he’s not”. Mimir chuckled. “He should be home soon”.  
  “Where is he? Where is he, right now?” Garnet leaned dangerously close to the head bobbing in the water. “ANSWER ME, HEAD!” She bellowed. Mimir chuckled and spat water in her face, causing Garnet to toss her head back and shake her head.   
  “He should be home tonight, on the back of an eight-legged horse named Sleipnir. You, won’t see him however. You will be in my well”.  
  “NO! I must see him first!” Mimir chuckled and blinked slowly up at Garnet.   
  “Fine, but if you decline your Ascension the gods will kill you”. He laughed. “This is a very desperate time - the gods are dying off slowly but surely, growing weaker and weaker. And I have a fear Fimbulvetr is growing nearer and nearer. And you know what happens after the world freezes over and Fimbulvetr ends?” His face contorted to one of sternness. “Ragnarok begins,” He said before Garnet could answer Him. “And the gods are growing too weak to even be able to survive the Great Winter. They’re desperate - they’ve already taken Steven to replace one of them. I’ll be here - but come before sunset next day or you will die”. Before Garnet could say any more, the head bobbed under the water and vanished, leaving Garnet in a state of denial. This had to be some dream - but she had a feel Mimir wasn’t joking about Garnet being murdered if she doesn’t listen to the gods’ call. She sighed, stood and with a heart beating fast with adrenaline she bolted home.

-

[The village was filled with a tense, hard air.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRZrW5PT6Xo) The once-peaceful and calm village was now one of hanging just off the edge and tenseness. The Gems hid up in their houses and the humans seemed to shun each other. The Tavern was empty and abandoned, and Garnet no longer got welcoming hellos and waves as she bounded towards the house. Thick black clouds above predicted a massive storm, the air just adding on to the tenseness of the village of Imar. Garnet threw the doors of the house open, almost sending the door flying across the room. “STEVEN’S ALIVE,” She bellowed. The Gems all sat bolt-upright.  
“H-how?” Alexandrite asked. “We thought he was dead!”  
“He’s… He’s a god”. The Gems cackled at Garnet. And almost instantly the gathering burst into loud, rowdy laughter.   
  “Oh Garnet, have you gone senile?” Jasper said.   
  “Must be that pond and its mysterious light,” Lapis added.  
  “Mimir spoke to me and… He told me that Steven is a god and he replaced Odin!” Garnet panted, her chest heaving.   
  “Yep - delusional,” Aquamarine mocked.  
  “...The gods, they’re after all of u-”  
  “Zip it, Garnet. You’re delusional, insane, off-your-rocker. The gods would never approach mortals, especially us!” Snowflake sighed. “And replacing Odin? Impossible! The Allfather is irreplaceable and perfect where He is”.  
  “But I… I… You’ll learn eventually, I swear on it!” Garnet barked as the Gems stood and inched in on the Fusion. “I-I’m not crazy! I’m perfectly sane! Trust me, I saw it with my own eyes!” Topaz grabbed Garnet’s shoulders and threw her to the house floor.   
  “Shatter her, Topaz,” Malachite said.  
  “W-I thought we were going to stick together, not betray each other! This isn’t what Rose wanted!” Garnet barked.  
  “Well, Rose is gone!” Obsidian barked, staring at Garnet with malicious eyes.  
  “And so is Steven and Bismuth,” Sardonyx added.  
  “He’s coming home - on the back of Odin’s horse!” The Fusion and Gems continued to yell and talk. Yet Garnet wasn’t delusional - she knew it. The Gems deep-down believed her - yet couldn’t voice it. Why was Garnet convinced Steven was alive? And Bismuth, too? After a long, long time the Gems tired of Garnet’s talking. Pearl drew her spear and stood over the Fusion, ready to crack down on her. Garnet rolled to the side and right into Jasper’s legs, who kicked Garnet in the side and stepped down hard on her ribs. The Fusion gasped. Suddenly, pandemonium erupted outside, humans and Gems alike freaking out and yelling. Garnet smiled. “See? There he is!”  
  “It’s an attack!” Aquamarine said. “Leave her here - we’ll get to her later”.  
  “No! It’s Steven!” Garnet barked. “It’s him! I know it! I FEEL it!” Jasper stomped down on Garnet’s ribs again - the Fusion gasping loudly and barking sharply in pain. Sugilite threw the doors of the house open to the village in utter chaos - humans and Gems were throwing things and yelling for seemingly no reason. If it was an attack, the attackers did a terrible job of actually attacking. Not a single person seemed to be attacking one another, but only freaking out as if someone was attacking them. An invisible force, making Gems and humans freak for no reason. The Gems filed outside and Garnet took this as an opportunity to stand up and hop out the nearest open window. She stood in front of the awe-struck group - galloping towards them on a gray eight-legged horse was the boy they had assumed to be dead for the longest time. Loping beside him was a massive white wolf with the Othala Rune on his forehead and on the boy’s shoulder was a massive black raven. He wore the finest robes that even the richest kings couldn’t afford, and two massive pink wings were folded tight to his back. A hood covered him - yet the Gems would know him by that exposed Gem on his belly no matter where he was or how he dressed. The Gems exchanged looks as the boy stopped in front of them and drew back his hood. The Gems almost collapsed - they were staring Steven in the eye, and he was staring at them. A young god was among them - and they were to join him.


	2. II: One-Handed God

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The gods are growing in numbers, yet there are still quite a few that remain...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Contains nudity and sexual reference.

[ Mud squelched and slapped from her boots as she ran through the pouring rain. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGoQLxlMZ2U) Forked tongues of lightning licked the sky like a snake sniffing for prey. Her helmet weighed like a boulder on her shoulders - she was a giant among mortals in her village. A perfect build; tall, lean and as lithe and as dangerous as a wolf with the ability to smash skulls in with her perfectly-forged Crash Helm. Her Gem flashed in the winking light of the storm, the flowering mark of the Aegisjalmur on her forehead glimmering in the light; the symbol was a great highlighter of the Gem’s strength - yet wasn’t a true testament. She was alone on her run and in the pursuit of a calling in the night; she was awoken in her sleep by the image of a massive valley full of trees - and she knew just where that was. A valley forbidden by men - Jotun’s Walk. The valley was said to be the only entrance to Jotunheimr from Midgard and was used by Thor an uncounted amount of times. She continued running, casting a bear-like, bulky shadow across the flickering grounds before she skittered to a stop on a muddy, rocky slope. Here she was, staring at a dense and endless forest of thick trees that towered to the skies above. Mountains scraped the skies like spears ripping the skies and evil-looking clouds gathered and swirled. The rain fell so thick she could barely see forward - yet without hesitation she made her way down her perch on the slope into a forest that’s ground was perfectly dried and not a single drop fell from the vast umbrella of leaves. She came to a massive stone in the middle of the forest - a stone the shape of Thor’s legendary Hammer by the name of Mjolnir. Standing in front of the rock was a… sight. Someone else stood there; he was tall and gorgeous; with long black hair and flaming orange eyes. His skin was covered in an uncountable amount of runic tattoos and markings; and a web of countless scars that ran along him like lighting. Thick furs covered his body, and at his side he held an arsenal of weapons. The strangest part was the fact that he was missing his right hand. She knew him. Three others emerged from the treeline, exhausted and panting. The list of Gems included a Malachite, Amethyst and another Jasper. Finally - the human before them spoke. “I am Tyr, God of War and the bravest among gods”. His voice was powerful and full of strength and held the air of someone strong enough to floor Jasper right there - and she was the strongest of her village. The other three sank to a knee before the god, heads bowed. He nodded His head towards Jasper. She knew what He wanted - she refused to take a knee. What if this was a trap and this was just some human pulling a jest and impersonating a god in the process? Even though Steven was living proof that this was all a very real thing, yet something in her gut told her she was wrong about some lowly trickster. “You four will be tasked against each other,” He began explaining His plan. “To fight to the death - and survive as long as possible for the next nine months”. The four Gems exchanged looks. “In time - you will learn my meaning. I will take all you have and you will split to the four corners. To leave this valley is to die. And now, I wish you luck. Your time has come, answer the gods' call - Ascension”.

-

[“JASPER,” Peridot roared, climbing through dense plantlife.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC9kkqt6F88) “GARNET!” The green Gem swiftly hopped up a tree and hung off of a branch that hung over a small cliff. “GARNET! JASPER!” She barked again - only the echo of her voice came dancing back. She looked up at the warm sun hanging in the sky, its bright light casting green shadows through the forest virtually buzzing with life. Peridot retreated, curling down the tree swiftly and hopping through bushes and over low branches and roots. She’s been looking for both Garnet and Jasper for the past three days but to no avail, yet she wasn’t ready to announce them dead after what had happened with Steven, however. She was still trapped overturning every single little pebble and climbing every single tree to the top and back down. Just where were these Gems? “WHERE ARE YOU?” She barked. The only thing that answered was an irritated blue jay screaming in her ears. The little green Gem sighed, and silently she hopped down the tree and into the underbrush again. She crawled under low hanging branches and snaked through bushes, hopped over stones and squirmed through tight-fitting trees. She kept her eyes only on the ground; nowhere else. Suddenly, she hit something hard that fell back with a muffled ‘oof’. “Oh my gods, I’m so sorry!” Peridot sighed, standing up and brushing herself off.  
   “No, no, don’t be”. A soft, gentle hand found its way onto Peridot’s shoulder - it was a soft and warm touch, welcoming like the warmth of summer. She looked up to meet the eye of the most gorgeous human she had ever seen. He was muscular and towered tall over Peridot; he wore steel shoulderpads and thick furs that bristled in the wind, his blue eyes and blonde hair was soft and his smile was sweet. If Peridot had to learn how to fall in love, this man would be that teacher. A golden-bristled boar stood beside him, sniffing at Peridot. She’s heard legends, she’s heard tales of the Svartalf-made Gullinbursti, the good ship Skidbladnir and the god of fertility, summer, fair weather and sunshine who was called Freyr. No, no, impossible. This man did come pretty damn close to what Freyr would’ve looked like. He pulled Peridot to her feet sharply.  
  “Who are you?”  
  “You know who I am, I see it in your eyes. Captain of Skidbladnir, rider of Gullinbursti, wielder of Sumarbrander,” he paused and met Peridot’s eye. She trembled - he was so warm, literally warm, like the sun through the trees on a summer day. He was gorgeous - she was willing to collapse and do everything he asked without question. The green Gem sighed.  
  “The Gold Boar, Gold Ship and the Sword of Summer,” she said.  
  “That is correct. I am the wind in the leaves, the sun on the earth, the robin in the trees and the clouds in the sky. I am all that is natural and all that is pure”.  
  “You’re Freyr? And that’s the Boar Gullinbursti?”  
  “Yes,” He said, His smile soft and warm. “I am Freyr, and I have something to ask of you, Peridot”.  
  “Yes?” She met His eye with an admiring stare. “What is it, Lord?”  
  “The gods are growing ever weak and dying. Idunn’s apples are diseased and there is no way I can fix them. Fimbulvetr comes closer and closer, and after the Great Winter comes Ragnarok. We fear that the gods will not survive the Winter. Prick your ears and listen like a wolf stalking prey, Peridot. The gods are dying, and we need mortals to take our places. Steven, you’ve seen him with your own eyes, was taken by Odin and he became the Rose Allfather. He is your king, he is your leader”.  
  “But no one can take your place, Lord!” Peridot gasped, beads of sweat rolling down her face.   
  “I am irreplaceable, yet you must partake in what Steven has survived. You will be planted inside of a tree and you will stay there for nine days,” Freyr said. “Steven has already done this, and so have your other comrades. This is Ascension”.

-

[“Come on, Bismuth! I’ll race you!”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S4BFRYoVtIg) Steven barked. He flapped his bright pink wings as he hovered in the air, his soft feathers bristling. He was smiling playfully at the goddess in front of him, her rainbow hair and rainbow wings flashing in the sun, the color magnified by the glittering steel armor she wore.  
   “You really wanna race me?” She laughed, her wings lighting ablaze in a wreath of neon flame. “I’m back in Bismuth, baby!”  
   Steven chuckled. “You use that pun too much!”  
   “And you love it each time~!” Bismuth drifted over as the flames along her wings died down to a dull glow. She kissed Steven softly on the forehead with a sigh. “So. You still wanna race me, Rose?”  
   “Sure!” Steven laughed as he snapped his wings in and went hurtling towards the field below them. Freya had allowed them to stay in Alfheim ‘till the other gods arrived after their Ascensions so they can work together on making Asgard a happy home for themselves. Just before the boy hit the grass, he threw his wings out and up he went, rocketing through the air. Bismuth was close on his tail, pitching towards him, her wings ablaze. She was laughing as she flew, gaining on Steven by the second. Suddenly, the boy made a twist and looped right over Bismuth’s head to her great disgruntlement and annoyance.  
   “STEVEN!” She barked, zipping after him. The pair soon landed in the field to catch their breath, sitting under the eternal sun beside each other. Bismuth softly draped her wing around Steven’s shoulders, a warm smile on her face. “You know - I really like Alfheim. It’s a nice contrast to the closed-in darkness of Svartalfheim - you’re in caves constantly. Not like there’s anything wrong with that - it just gets claustrophobic sometimes. And the sun feels so damn nice…”  
   “I know~ It’s warm, but a nice kind of warm. Not a crippling warm or anything”.  
   “You know - it’s a bad idea to bring a Svartalf up here. They’d turn to stone and we’d have to lug ‘em back to Svartalfheim!” Steven chuckled at the mental image of Bismuth with an armful of stone Dwarves. Bismuth chuckled with him before standing up and pulling Steven to his feet. “Let’s go and check on Garnet. She was only supposed to be in there for nine hours and it could’ve easily been longer than that. You know how time distorts itself here”.

-

[“So, this thing’s where Yggdrasil dips one of ‘er roots, eh?”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o_xln7fzffQ) Bismuth chuckled. “Duh, the massive thing’s right there!”   
   “Look at this place - the Well of Mimir. And is that Gjallarhorn I see up there on the root?”  
   “Gotta be - this is where Heimdallr keeps the damnable thing”. The massive Well of Mimir seemed to visibly glow bright blue and light up the little grove, which was virtually exploding with plant life and animals of all kinds, which ran around and played about.   
   Curling itself in a spiral down through the crystal-clear, glowing waters, was a massive root. Following up out of the water was a large, thick trunk that seemed to extend into the white void of nothing high above them. Curled up around the root was a massive war horn of sorts covered in runic patterns of all sorts, the markings appearing to glow dully. This, was indeed the legendary Gjallarhorn, the same horn that will signal their end when Ragnarok comes. A thick sage-scented smoke hung in the air, it smelled strong, almost too strong to breathe in. Bobbing in the center of the little pond was… a head. Steven and Bismuth shuffled over to the edge of the lake as the head drifted to the bank. The thing is - Steven knew this head and its face -  It was the head of Garnet. Her head sat bobbing in the Well of Mimir, a look of horror both on her face and his… She met his eye, and he met hers.  
   “Just about, Steven, just about,” the head spoke with a chuckle. Her body laid in a heap in the bottom of the Well, wrapped up in Yggdrasil’s root. “I should be just about ready in ten minutes”.  
  “Oh, what a relief…” Bismuth muttered, playfully splashing Garnet’s face. The head spat water into Bismuth’s eyes with a chuckle. “Hey!”  
  “You started it, my dear friend”. Steven chuckled at Garnet and Bismuth with a smile.  
  “So. Welcome aboard. Things are WILD - wait ‘till you see Asgard and Alfheim - and all the other Worlds! It’s so cool - but it’s also very scary”. The head smiled.  
  “So I’ve heard”. Her face twisted in agony. “Y-you might want to look away”. Bismuth and Steven compiled by backing away from the pond and turning their backs. In a bright flash, the sound of something large jumping out of water and hands on their shoulders, Garnet stood up again. Four wings were pinned to her shoulders - two blue and two red.  
  “Garnet!”  
  “Steven!” Garnet smiled, her three eyes blinking as she summoned her glasses with the flick of her wrist. “So, what’s up? The Goddess of Prophecy is in the house!”  
  “Aww, how come she gets four wings?” Bismuth looked at Garnet, her head cocked slightly to the right.  
  “...It’s because I’m a Fusion. I wasn’t expecting it either. Mimir was going to separate Ruby and Sapphire but… Nah, He let me get away with being fused”. Steven hugged Garnet tightly with a smile, even tossing his wings around her. The Fusion nuzzled him softly with a smile before speaking. “Let’s get back to Midgard, we should check on the others”.

-

[ Lapis paced around the village, looking around for the others. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YRZrW5PT6Xo) First Bismuth, then Steven, and now Jasper, Peridot and Garnet? Just where in the Worlds were they?   
  Lapis sighed, running a hand through her bright blue hair and blinking her soft eyes up at the skies. In a sudden flash, the azure Gem summoned her watery wings and shot up into the skies, watching the ground from below. Maybe they were hiding somewhere in the village among the people there? She circled above the village of Imar, blinking slowly before veering off in the direction of the nearby river. She needed to be alone - she needed to think and clear her mind and try and give herself even the smallest understanding as to what the Hel is happening. Over the vast forest she flew, her eye following the dirt path to the river. The skies were still dark from thick clouds, predicting the icy-rain of the late spring, the deep green grass grew in thick patches between dried grass, the small green plant still trying to grow from the cold, bitter spring. Lapis watched the mountains raising high into the sky miles in front of her - they looked close enough for her to reach out and touch them, but they were so far. She turned to the range behind the village - they were surrounded by a mountain range known as the Gungnir Peaks, which people say Jotunheim lies on the other side. If not, just completely unsettled land. The azure Gem circled for a bit, shuddering as her wings frosted over in a cold breeze. She dove towards the ice-peppered river, sheets of ice melting, cracking off and drifting through the water. She landed on the frosty bank, watching the black waters swirl and dance and with the gentle flick of her wrist, the icy-cold waters rose up to meet Lapis’ hand. She stroked the water, shuddering from the sudden chill, yet she smiled calmly. She ran her fingers along it and gradually formed watery figures of her family (though, not biological, they were close enough to be family), and she began to play with the small watery dolls, thinking aloud to herself. “Alright, if Steven was off to the mountains where I left him,” she began, and with the gentle movement of her fingers the watery Steven walked off and sat on the bank on its own. “And came back whatever-he-is-now…” She thought the same processes for the others that had gone missing - Peridot, Jasper, Garnet, Bismuth… She thought out her theory, every little detail. She missed them - Imar was never the same without Jasper’s booming laughter, Peridot’s jokes, Steven’s smile, Bismuth’s stories, Garnet’s kindness… It was as if after they had left that an unseen darkness swept over the land.

[Her head shot up when she felt a hand on her shoulder - the touch was cold yet soft and gentle, and the voice that matched it was just as gentle. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W1NFg9njuYQ)“Lapis,” the voice began - it was aged, wise and calm, yet almost eerie. Lapis froze.  
  “Who’s there?”  
  “Now, now, no need to get defensive. Rise and face me”. Lapis did so, the water rising with her in the need she should fight. The man before her mouthed something, and the wave immediately froze solid. “No need to get defensive, Lapis,” he repeated.  
  “WHO ARE YOU?”  
  “Silence, Lapis”.  
  “HOW DO YOU KNOW MY NAME?” She didn’t recognise him or know him. He had a thick beard covering most of his face, striking blue eyes staring at Lapis from the full-faced shag, his thick, long hair braided down his back. Over his shoulders he held a fishing net, and on his back various types of fishing rods. He wore a fine blue tunic with thick gray pelts wrapped around his hips.  
   “I am Njord - God of the Sea, Fishermen and Seafarers. I have come to you for a reason - I have watched how you can manipulate the very waters around you, and how you use that to your advantages whenever you can,” the man began. He smiled at Lapis, Lapis settling herself.  
  “Njord,” She knelt before the god. “I’m sorry I was willing to attack you”. Njord smiled - and He chuckled.   
  “It’s quite alright, Lapis,” He patted her shoulder, and the small azure Gem looked up. “I didn’t come to you for no reason. The gods are dying off - Idunn’s Apples are diseased and Her trees are rotting. Us gods need these Apples to sustain our immortal state - or our physical forms will die. The gods cannot fix the Apples - so we’ve turned to our last plan possible. We have chosen worthy mortals - to take our places as gods of Asgard”. Well, this confirmed Lapis’ suspicions. Her jaw dropped.  
  “So - you’re telling me…”  
  “Yes, Lapis. I’ve chosen you to take my place in a sacred process called Ascension. You will be thrown into the Bay of Noatun, bound by chains and runic charms, for nine days”.  
  “But-”  
  “Are you willing to do this for the will of the gods?”  
  “Yes”. Yet, reluctance and even anxiety laced her tone and her expression.  
  "Very well, then. Let us get started".

-

[Bang.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HyFl_SNmRi0) Bang. Bang. ‘Twas the sound of her heart in her ears as she bounded along - through the dried patch of forest that she had been trapped in for a while now. Jasper couldn’t trust anyone or anything, ever since that run-in with that Amethyst. Yet, instead of shattering her like she was tasked to do if she hunted her down successfully, she didn’t. She only killed those deserving - and this Amethyst deserved nothing. So she let her be, and watched her run and run and scamper up a tree like a startled squirrel. The past few weeks had been… interesting, yet that was a minor understatement. She skittered to a stop and threw herself up the trunk of the oak she had stopped at, the heels of her boots catching in the bark. She clawed her way onto the branch, huffing as she heaved herself over to stare at the moon.   
    It was gorgeous, shimmering brightly. She knew the legend, everyone did. In the beginning, there was no light, no dark, just blank nothing. Along came Night and Day, lead by Sun and Moon in the Chariots, chased by Skoll and Hati. They chase each other across the sky until Ragnarok, when Skoll and Hati would catch up and devour them both. Yet, it was still going to be a while, right? Ragnarok is to come within the next 11 years, as Tyr had told them. Jasper lounged back on the branch, exhaling a crystalline sigh of relief into the night. She smirked, maybe this wasn’t so bad. She slowly closed her eyes, listening to nothing but the wind and the distant howling of wolves. She felt content, she felt right, she felt ready… But was she really? She honestly kind of hated this constant fighting - and her desire to make peace had almost overwhelmed her more than once. She rested her head down and breathed a gentle sigh. No need to worry about it now... 

[ She woke with a jolt, hitting her head on a branch above her head. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wK-j2XVl_mc) “Oof!” She barked in surprise, and went teetering over the branch… And down she fell, and with a loud bang she hit the dry earth, sending up clouds of dust and leaves. She got up, shaking herself off and fluffing out her hair. S he brushed herself off and quite swiftly she went clambering up the tree again, settling herself comfortably on the peak of the colossal tree - it towered above all the others, as it was a tree called a Hyperion tree, a giant among plants. She watched what she could from the plateau that this grand tree spread its branches over - villages dotted here and there along the river, the distant mountains that lined the borders between what was supposedly Jotunheim and the world she sat in - Midgard. She watched clouds glide across the sky, almost dreamily. The skies were calm and blue, and the breeze was gentle and chilly despite the warmth of the sun that warmed her back. She hummed and hummed, almost sleepy. She whistled, watching a flock of vultures circle above the plateau. It was… Calming. Warm. Friendly. It felt - nice, nicer than Jasper’s ever felt in decades. This serenity shook her to her very core - it made her question everything that she was and is and will be. Yet, she had fallen asleep once again. She breathed deeply, calmly… paced…

[ What was that that she had seen?  ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLNEPzUDXp0) It seemed to emerge from the shadows - as tall as the sky and as domed as the curve of the peak of a tree. It was a formless void of nothing -  endless, swirling and indefinite. She was completely alone - she was falling, but wasn’t falling, but she felt like she was falling… It was a sensation she can only describe only as flight. She felt the swirling movement of the void around her, and with every move she tried to make, what was towering before her came into view. It was huge - almost unwordably huge. It was a blank slate all around, with two thick lines - one a glowing silver and the other a glowing red. The lines were the only things that lit the void, endless and formless. She couldn’t even see the floor below her. Her eye followed the lines - they broke off into swirls and speckles, yet stayed split in one half. A large rune-circle was in the middle, where the two lines seemed to lead from. She sighed, and made to move forward, drifting forward… 

 On the wall was the form of… a towering something, angled feet supporting a long form and a small torso, with arms outstretched at his side. Lining his form was the strips of silver and orange, webbing into perfect swirls and cuts. The chips in the stone suggested that it had been there for centuries - eons, perhaps. Odd. How and why would she have a dream about her least favourite story? The scene obviously depicted Ymir and His children, and the creation of everything from Ginnungagap... Then she heard it, a whisper, unheard and gentle but firm and stiff. "Jasper," it said. "Jasper". The voice grew more frantic with every repeat of her name, soon almost giving the illusion of whoever was calling her sitting right in her ear.

["WH-" She barked as her eyes flew open and she leaped up, hitting her head off of the branch above her yet again](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EdHXWW2mb5I). With a snap, the branch broke and both Jasper and the branch went plummeting to the forest floor below. With a loud, deafening bang she hit the ground and for a moment her vision went blurry for a split moment before she had managed to regain herself, blinking stars from her vision. "Ow," she whispered as she sat up and glanced around the crater she had created from her fall. She stood up and brushed dust and dirt from her tunic, trying to regain her posture from what, the seventh fall that day? She sighed and hopped out of the crater and went on her way, before being stopped by someone's voice from off to the side.  
  "Hey, you alright? You took quite a fall". She whipped around.  
  "Y-yea, just my head hurts a tad".  
  "A tad? You sure?"   
  "Yes, I'm OK," Jasper turned on her heel, scanning the treeline for the voice that seemed to hop between the branches and circle around her for some time before stopping for a brief moment.  
   "Ppsst, over here," the voice said. It was... creepy, like sandpaper scraping against sandpaper mixed with a creaky door. "I'm over here".  
   She looked over. "Who are you? What are you?"  
   "Are you thick? I said I'm over here!" She whipped around in the direction of the voice as it moved, the branches disturbed by the movement of something large.  
   She squinted. The thick leaves and shadows cast by the trees almost made it hard to see through them, yet there was obviously something there... "I can't see you, come into the light".  
  The voice made some sort of annoyed sigh. "Ugh, forget about it," the figure grunted, clearly annoyed. The leaves rustled and the sound of branches snapping filled the air as whatever it was went running - or flying. Jasper followed the movement 'till she could no more - whoever was speaking to her was gone.  
  "Wait, come back!" She called after the voice. There was no response other than the whispering of the leaves in the trees...

-

[Crack, snap.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wgRb9EvMamg) Bang. In an instant the tree cracked down the middle and a wing poked itself out from between the cracks, the feathers a gentle gradient of green and brown. The tree splintered down the middle and stepping out from the hollow trunk was... Peridot, wreathed in a golden light that radiated off of her like the sun. She stepped forward, and the moment her bare foot came in contact with the dry, cold earth, everything seem to burst with life - flowers bloomed around her, the tree that re-birthed her bent itself back together and bloomed with bright-green leaves, swaying in a summery-warm breeze. She spread her wings, basking in the light and in the breeze - with every move she made life seemed to blossom. She was thrust back into reality however, when she felt something hot brush against her legs. She looked down, and with a deep ' _whuff_ ' the boar Gullinbursti looked right back up at Peridot with eyes of solid, molten gold. "My Lady," the boar began in a deep voice, bowing his tusked snout for a brief moment. "Summer-Birther, Death-Reverse," he continued. "Are you ready?" The twittering of birds filled the air and the ruffling of leaves rumbled gently through the forest.  
  "What happened to me? What am I?"  
  "You are Summer Wind. You are Fehu, you are the Summer Sun, you are the wind in the trees. You are Peridot - the goddess of Nature, Fertility and the Season-Cycle," said another voice from off to the side. Gliding over to her was what appeared to be a blue-jay, larger than any other one she's ever seen before.  
  "What?"  
  "You're a god, Peridot".  
  "Yea, I know that... I've got wings, right?"  
  "Yea," the jay replied.  
  "I can fly, right?"  
  "Uhh, yea?"  
  [She smirked.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1PuIYDyOwc8) "You two wait here," she began with a wide smile on her lips as she went at a run, leaving the boar and the blue jay alone entirely. The wind whipped in her ears as she moved faster and faster, yet her heart skipped a beat as she ran towards a chasm... She knew that if she were to continue she'd fall, and that's exactly what she did. She threw herself off the cliff at the edge of the forest and fell, the earth below hurdling up to meet her... And before she could hit the ground she snapped out her wings and squeezed her eyes shut. Her stomach lurched. She joked to herself - _'Wow, must've left it behind in that chasm,'_ she thought. She made to open her eyes slowly... She was fully expecting to be gliding along the ground, when no, she was hurtling through the skies alongside the clouds, the forest below her appearing as nothing but a mass of green, the villages were tiny dots and the rivers were thin veins running through the earth. So this is what happened. This is who they are now... Gods. Who would've thought...

-

" [ JASPER! ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KbnJNj5hrVs) " Lapis called out. "Peridot? Anyone?" She whispered as she turned herself around in the freezing water. The nets that held her looked weak enough for her to peel apart with her nails, but it was the charms of each cross of hide that concerned her. Runic charms that fortified the strings and kept her locked inside. She was able to reach through, but not enough to be able to slip through - even then the charms would kill her if she managed to squeeze herself through. She reached her arm out through the net in favour of attempting to grab the attention of a small sea-serpent that swam nearby. She chuckled as the creature approached and brushed its snout against her open palm, its pale-blue scales soft and gentle against her hand.  "At least you're around..." She withdrew and curled up among the tangles of net and the stones that held her down, thinking to herself. So, this solved her theory of what was happening to the many in her group… She puffed her chest and let off a long sigh, which appeared in front of her as a thick curtain of bubbles. She rested her head down against one of the weights that held her net down and slowly closed her eyes, allowing herself to feel the swirl of the bay above - smooth and slick but rough and hard, chilling like ice against her skin, freezing her to the bone. The cold was almost painful - but nice. She hated it but loved it yet wanted the searing chill to cease already. But she had to bear - she had to hold out.

-

[ Steven laid back in the grass, his wings spread out at his side, the wind ruffling the soft underside of his feathers. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANX14XSSbAc) His chest rose and fell softly as he breathed in and out, allowing the sun to bask through his skin and his feathers, a smile breaking the young god’s face. He didn’t even hear the approach of Garnet, the far-larger Fusion, who had laid down beside him silently. She spread out her wings so that her feathers brushed against his, which grabbed his attention. “Garnet?”   
 “Steven, I was looking for you. I had a vision just now. Mind if I explain?”   
 “Yea, sure”.   
 She took in a sharp inhale between pursed lips. “Wings of War will fly to here, carrying with her a storm. Deep inside of her rests a child, who will grow to be the Wolf’s Bane. Walk to Jotunheimr nine times and back, there Yggdrasil waits. Wait for War, wait for Peace, wait for Sea, wait for Storm. Sweet Child, Bright One, Sweet One, Mate of Sea, Mate of War, listen! Listen, you will walk to Hel and back and you will come home, wife of Sea, Mother of War. Sea had planted her child within War, and War gives birth to a beast, a beast with unknowable power hidden under soft-eyes and gentle-hand”.    
  “What does that mean?”   
  “I don’t know. It will solve itself in time, I know. My power - they call me Poem-Weaver because I can only tell my prophecies in the form of these strange poem-kind of things. I’m sorry. If I could say I would,” Garnet began. She opened her mouth. “Ja-” And she clapped her hands to her mouth, firmly holding her jaw shut. “I can’t-”   
  “Woah, Garnet, are you ok?”   
  “La-”   
  “SPEAK!”   
  And her hand pulled away from her mouth. “Yes, my King”. Steven’s heart skipped a beat.   
  “You didn’t… stop yourself there, did you?”   
  “No, my King. That was your doing”.   
  He shifted and sat up. “S-stop calling me king! I’m not a king!”   
  “Yes you are. You’ve just humbled yourself enough to believe that you’re not the king of the Nine Worlds. Or it just hasn’t sunk in yet”. Yea. Maybe she was right. The Fusion sat up, cocked her head and blinked her three eyes curiously. Innocently.   
 “You’re… right, actually…”   
 “I know I am”. A long silence fell between the two before Garnet rose to her feet, offering a gemmed hand to Steven. He took her hand and she pulled him to his feet, the little King smiling and nodding. “But what am I going to do? I’m scared and confused - how am I going to rule the Nine Worlds?”   
 She placed a gentle hand on his shoulders. “I will be alongside you. So will Pearl and Jasper, and we will assist you and guide you”.   
 “You will? Promise me?”   
  “Yes. I will, my King”. She bowed deeply to the child, her wings spread at her sides. Red and blue feathers rippled in the gentle breeze as she stood, Steven blinking at her.   
 “Hey, fly with me. We’ve got much to discuss”.

-

  
 “ [ Raidho ](https://youtu.be/YyKqEenT6ho) . To ride. To carry. The wagon that carries. Journey. The tale of life; the journey of life as we know it. Raidho,” she continued. Her voice was soft and gentle and kind as she whispered between the four gods there - Bismuth, Peridot, Steven and herself. “Raidho”. She chuckled, a smirk breaking her lips. “I like the sound of that”.   
 “Kenaz - Kauna, as it’s called sometimes. Torch, Knowledge, learning. The flame of wisdom. Kenaz - Torch,” Bismuth began, releasing a fond snort as she spoke.    
 “Fehu - mobile property, new beginnings, wealth… Sustaining the flow,” Peridot muttered, leaning back against Bismuth.

 “Answar - Woden, Ancestral Sovereign God. Myself, the King, the God of Gods. Order, reason, communication…” Steven smiled as he traced his hand along the wall. “That’s all of us thus far. Answar - myself, Kenaz - Bismuth, Fehu - Peridot and Raidho - Garnet. When will the others join us, Prophecy-Whisperer?”   
 “Soon, in time. Lapis shall join us first, then there will be Topaz; then Aquamarine and Amethyst; then after that the Lesser Ones, in time we will be together,” Garnet said with a smile. “It’s late. You should sleep”.   
 “No. I wish to wait”.   
 “My King, you will be awake for years then,” Peridot began, lifting her head up from Bismuth. “Sleep. You will need it”. The young King sighed.   
 “If you insist,” he began, standing up with a heave. He fluffed out his pink wings and sighed, flaring them out. He enjoyed them but was still so extremely unused to his two new… additions.

-

[  It has been at least a week, easily, Lapis had counted the days in the silt and in her memory. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MRrXKGQocCE) The cold had caused her to shudder violently - she wanted out of there now. She tried to pull on the nettings, and she was fully expecting it to stay firm or slice into her hand, but instead, and to her great surprise, the net pulled apart and as it did so vanished into nothingness, as Lapis pulled herself forward. She was expecting to die there on the spot, but almost instinctively she made to peel back what covered her… wings. Yes, wings, she was used to the sensation of two additional limbs attached to her shoulderblades. Blue skin tainted by chilled fresh water stroked thick, muddy, slimy silt off of bright blue wings, feathers… Wait, impossible… Feathers had risen up in the swirling lake that seemed to be apart of her very being - her very soul, HER. She was the lake, the seas, every drop of water… She rose from the silt that had covered her, muck and sand and dirt curled off of her as she stood, her wings extending as far as she could make them at her side, and in one strong whoosh of water and a beat of the wings she was sailing through the waters, as furious and unrelenting as the waterfalls that laced the nearby canyon. Going… Going, the water rushing around her head, no longer cold but warmed like the sunlight, her heart thundering in her chest.

 Around her, the waters seemed to curl away from her, swirling and dipping in a perfect funnel that cut the waves like a knife, as she threw herself forward with a loud, furious cry that echoed off the lake around her. She beat her wings, rising as high as she could go, blinking glowing azure eyes at the gloom above. She stared around at everything - still, silent, listening… Waiting. Adoring, expecting. She didn’t hesitate to understand who she was. “Jasper,” she whispered to herself. The taste of the Quartz’ lips still lingered on hers, firm and gentle. She was never expecting her to feel so… right. She never expected these feelings for her when she did. She hovered, anxiety setting in as she flicked water off of her robes - once drab and white and pale, now elegant teal that flowed down her form. She beat her wings, which shimmered with flecks like molten gold as she threw herself down towards the water, her wings rippling in the chill. Jasper. Jasper, Jasper, where was she? She had to tell her of the feelings and the emotions that had been tearing her up for… How long was it now? She soared over chasms and rivers and trees, mountains and calderas and villages, the wind  seeming to whisper her name. “JASPER,” she cried. “JASPER, I LOVE YOU,” she bellowed yet louder, so that all that had ears and minds and hearts could hear. She twisted and twirled through the skies as if her heart depended on it, like her very heart thundered only for one - only for her dear Jasper. Her heart pounded, threatening to burst as she threw herself skyward once more, vanishing into the blanket of clouds. 

-

[ Bang ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDlIbgSw3OQ) . Bang. Bang. Bang. Her footfalls were loud and violent and they shook the very trees around her. Wind howled and roared, rain drummed against the leaves, and the weakest saplings threatened to tear themselves from the earth, the ground itself heaving from the tossing of the wind, the only thing holding them down being their intertwined roots. Her heart rumbled. Her lungs fluttered as she ran, throwing herself over stones and roots that jabbed through the Earth like violent, unruly, untamed knives with no hand to guide them. She was being pursued - the other three with her had been called, summoned, even, to Mjolnir’s Rock. Tyr was summoning them, the bellowing wails of His war-horn sounding low through the plateau. She ran and she ran, she knew that the first there would be declared the War God, and she HAD to take that. Though all she’s been through, her very being being challenged, she charged. There it was, arching grand and proud through the roaring storm outside. There she was being pulled - and appearing at the treeline was the distinct figures of the other three. This was it, the final fight. They all had stopped at the treeline, staring at the figure of One-Handed Tyr lounging on the stone. “So. You’re all here,” He began in a bellowing voice, His horn at His side. Jasper watched as the other three shuddered violently, overtaken by weakness and the urge to respect the god before them. Jasper, all she felt was a gentle tingling at her sides and up her spine, along her shoulderblades…  Her blood boiled. “Ahh, Jasper, as hard as marble with an iron will. Yes, an iron will and steel determination. Yet you’re soft, and that softness will be abused as your weakness,” Tyr began, sitting up and turning to Jasper, hopping down off the stone and approaching. She looked down at the god, a smirk on her face.   
 “Weak? I’m not weak, Great One-Handed One,” she began, puffing her chest. Tyr scoffed playfully.   
 “Then prove it. Climb to the top of this rock and claim my horn, and blow it three times”.   
 “Easier done than said,” Jasper scoffed, licking her lips as Tyr withdrew. With a whistle, the other three at the treeline suddenly stood and threw themselves towards the rock, making to climb up it as fast as they possibly could. Jasper’s lips curled in a snarl as she made at a dash, throwing herself forward as fast as she could. The rock was slippery with rain and moss, and the footings were too small for her… Was Tyr right? Was she really as weak as He had said? 

 No. She wouldn’t let Him be right in that. She threw herself forward, clawing her way up the boulder desperately, heaving and pushing and pulling herself up. The other three were already at the top, struggling to clamber up the stone, yes, but managing better than the far larger had. She looked over at Tyr, who nodded and applauded via tapping His hand to His stump where His other hand would’ve been. She smiled, and just as she  looked over the Malachite was hoisting the horn to her lips, and almost instinctively Jasper threw herself at the Malachite, wresting the horn from her hands. The Amethyst made to advance, galloping to Jasper desperately. With a swift kick and a yelp of surprise from the purple Gem, she crumpled over as Jasper’s toe collided with her midsection. She crumpled as Jasper stood over her, whipping around to meet the eyes of the third Gem, the Obsidian, who was charging on with brandished claws. Jasper smirked. “Too late, kid,” she said as she made a sweep at his legs, tripping him over himself. A smile broke her twisted, scarred lips as she had lifted the horn to her mouth.

  One bellow that shook the trees. One that shook the Earth, and one that rattled through her own very being. A pause. A breath, even, and everything stopped still and dead. A breath that sounded louder than it was. She looked over, her golden eyes shimmering as her vision blurred, her eyes drooping shut as she took one final look at the War God. Her lips parted as she breathed out - “What have you done to me,” before her massive form fell and her head lolled uselessly to the side. Through blurred slits she watched the other three advance towards her - whether it be to help her or kill her wasn’t clear, she just knew that she had to get up. She had to move… And she did, throwing herself forward and hoisting the horn high over her head, struggling to keep herself up, struggling to hold the horn skywards… A bellowing cry left the Quartz, the wind swirling around her, ruffling her hair and tossing her cloaks around herself. The very sun itself seemed to lean closer and closer in the sky as the clouds parted, the Quartz’s chest heaving as she made to reach towards the sun, the light that shone down only on her. A smirk broke her scarred lips as she allowed that numb euphoria to cross over her - strength surged through her form, from her middle all the way to the tips of her toes and the tips of her fingers, the Quartz shuddering. That was it. That was all she had to do. She lowered the horn and turned to the other three, and in a glowing blur she threw herself at them, tackling them down off the stone violently. They refused to fight back, their eyes wide with fear as she wore a smile, sadistic yet almost sorry. “YES, YES!” Tyr barked from off to the side, prompting Jasper to look over.   
 “What have you done to me?” She began in a low growl, standing. Tyr galloped over, taking both of Jasper’s hands in His own.    
 “You - you’re perfect! You’re… Everything I ever wanted! You’re beautiful!” He began, bouncing on the balls of His feet. Jasper felt her face warm and a dull blush creep up her neck.    
 “T-thank you, Tyr,” She began as the god stepped away, actually taking a moment to bow to Jasper. She smiled yet tried to shake off dizziness for a brief moment, running clawlike fingernails through soft beige-white hair. Tyr turned to the other three who took a knee, before beginning in a loud and clear voice.   
 “I give to you - Jasper, our Lady of War!” His voice held a strong pride as He spoke, Jasper puffing her chest and holding her head high despite the tightness in her chest and the tingling sensation that lingered on her shoulderblades. Her legs shook as she felt weakness overtake her, the Quartz finally collapsing...

  
[ She woke to being shaken violently ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D4bmikZ75Qo) . “JASPER, my Lady!” Barked the Amethyst, shaking her shoulders. Tyr stood over Jasper, blinking bloody-red eyes at her, concern plastered all over His face.  
 “Mmmng-” Jasper began as she sat up, rubbing her head as she sat up, the Amethyst placing a tender hand on her back. ‘My lady’. What did that mean…? She wasn’t some regal being to be worshipped.   
 “Your feathers. They’re so soft,” Commented the Malachite. What? Feathers? She never HAD feathers, what did this all mean? She moved… What was that? Wings extended over her head, fine orange thread bathed in bright-orange, and gentle stripes giving way to a strange upward-arrow symbol at the tips of her fine feathers. She wanted to tear them off, she wanted to yell out, she wanted them GONE.   
 “Wh-what did you do to me?” She snarled at Tyr, who stood off to the side.   
 “You submitted yourself to the Horn. You’re a God of War. Well, almost. You still have the final phase to go through,” He began, a smirk breaking His scarred lips. “You chose to become the God of War”. Jasper’s lips curled upwards in a sneer as she turned her head to the other two.  
 “But what about the other three?”  
 “They, are your lessers. They will remain by your side forever,” Tyr began, walking back over to Jasper and kneeling in front of her as she brought her knees to her chest, her wings folding close over her back, yet she unfurled them slightly to wrap them around herself. Her wings were… soft and warm, ruffling in the chilling wind. She shuddered, yet her wings and her furs kept her warm. Tyr turned to Jasper and reached out to touch her wings, the Quartz instinctively pulling them away from His hand. He chuckled deeply. “Come on, relax. I know your mate will be touching your wings far more often than anyone else ever will. It makes you uncomfortable when one touches your wings, save for your mate. She loves your feathers and the way they brush against her skin…” He began, Jasper easing herself and curling her wing forward reluctantly, where Tyr’s hand sunk into the silky feathers, a smile breaking His lips. “There you are…”  
 “How - what do you mean by my pardner? I don’t have a mate or a lover. How did you-”  
 “Shhh, do you know what I am in detail?”  
 “Yes, you’re a Jotnar too”.  
 “And Jotnar are known prophets. Go to the Temple in Jotunheim when you’re all assembled together and examine the carvings on the walls, then it’ll all make sense. Your fates are written in stone, literally”. Very suddenly, Tyr pinched one of the feathers between His fingers and plucked it off of the wing.  
 “AWW- What was that fo-”  
 “Your feathers. They’re… Gorgeous. Silky-soft, look at them,” He began, holding it in Jasper’s face so she could get a closer look. She knew they were… well, _orange_ , but she had never really seen how orange they were; pale like the dawn, bright and gentle. The patterns were as deep red-orange as a vibrant sunset, clashing against the pale-orange in a furious dance of color. She allowed her eye to trace the thin-threaded webbing of the feather, watching as the wind made it quiver in Tyr’s hand. “And, catches the wind beautifully. Almost as flawless as you are. Yet…” And His nail separated the web, pulling apart in a neat slit along the feather. “So fragile”.  
 Jasper took the feather from Tyr. “What’s this - symbol?” She allowed her eye to trace 

the arrow, Tyr chuckling deeply in His throat.   
 “Oh, that’s Tiwaz. Sometimes called Tyr or Tiw. I give the Rune its name,” He began, a sigh escaping his lips. “It’s yours now. This Rune. It means… How do I say this without accidentally telling your future…”   
 “It means…” With her nail, Jasper drew it out in the mud.

ᛏ

“...Sacrifice. Balance. Justice. War. Sacrifice of the self for the well-being of the whole. Warriors, honor, righteousness, peace-keeping, fairness… How would this teach the future?”   
 “You’ll see, Jasper, you’ll see. Now go. The second phase is yet to begin - let’s see how you three fair against a god,” Tyr whispered, turning to the other three, who looked over at Jasper with a slightly-bowed head, yet looked between each other at the… pathetic-looking War God before them. Even Jasper looked at them with… Reluctance. She didn’t want to cause anyone harm. She looked down at the feather Tyr had handed her, her finger trailing the Rune.    
 “Sacrifice…” She whispered. Hmm. Curious. Why would such a symbol be given to HER, of all gods? Sure, it’s the Rune of the one who had Ascended her, but she still had a hunch that it meant more. Even because of the way Tyr spoke. What was with these things always being… well, double-sided?

-

[ Lapis curled up tightly on her bed, her wings wrapped over herself ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LEg4ZUT8MFI) . She shifted gently under the furs that she had draped over herself, trying to keep herself as warm as possible. “Mmm-ahh~~” She began as she sat up, shuddering from the chill as her furs fell off of her. She stood, draping her furs over her form tightly as she spread her wings, running through the dark room, her wings slowly carrying her into the air as she ran, soon throwing herself out the balcony door and in two hearty wingbeats sending herself soaring through the starry night-sky, sailing through the freezing breeze. She shuddered as she felt the chill run up her back, chilling her to the very tip of her feathers. She glanced at the goosebumps dotting themselves down her arm, sighing. She allowed her eye to train along the sky, the endless void of night filled with the sea of stars, the moon glittering as nothing but a sliver in the sky. And down from Asgard she flew as fast as her wings could carry her, down to Midgard. Jasper, where was she?

-

  
[ She threw herself at the Amethyst, a cry of fury leaving the Quartz as she slammed her to the ground, her wings arching over her head as a satisfied smile broke her pale lips. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDlIbgSw3OQ) “Got’cha,” she began as she leaned down over the Amethyst, almost nose-to-nose.    
 “And WHY isn’t Tyr instructing you kill us?”   
  “I only kill those deserving. And I like you guys - you don’t deserve it”. She nuzzled the Amethyst before making a hearty leap off of her, spreading her massive wings and hurling herself into the air, throwing herself after the Malachite, who raised her arms to deflect the god’s fist, which she did with a hearty shove. Jasper had almost fallen over from the shock, the god getting up instantly. She giggled almost cutely, “You can’t pin me down that easy!”   
 “Oh, really?” Replied the Malachite, a wry smile painting her lips. She tossed herself at Jasper, who caught her between her arms and fell back onto her back. The god snorted.    
 “Welp, ya got me - NOT!” She over, pinning the Malachite under her. The duo began to laugh, hearty and playful.   
 “Come on you two, take it seriously,” muttered Tyr from his perch from the boulder once again.    
 “Oh, right, sorry. Training, it’s just getting fun,” Jasper began.    
 “Yea, just let us have a little fun!” The Amethyst called from a low-hanging branch on a tree.    
 “In a real fight, you can’t have fun! You’ve got to fight for your life! Survival comes before play,” the One-Handed One began indignantly.    
 “Ugh, you think I don’t know this?” Jasper began. “You think WE don’t know this?” She sat up, her wings folding against her back. “It’s not like a Jotnar army’s going to prance on in he-” She was cut off with a thump to her back. She fell back, and laying over her was the Obsidian.   
 “Got’cha”.   
 “Oh, no you don’t!” She tossed herself from under the Obsidian, the Gem skittering across the ground as Jasper threw herself into the air, beating her wings and soaring as high as she could go. She snapped her wings shut and fell, twirling through the air, and seconds before hitting the ground she snapped her bright-orange wings open, hurdling skyward once again. The clear sky seemed to rush towards her but run from her at the same time, yet curled away from her as she twisted her body and made to glide back down to the forest canopy, careful to fold her wings in as she came into the clearing, landing neatly on the boulder beside Tyr, who stared at Jasper with an awestruck face.  
  “You always find a way to impress me,” He began, blinking calmly. “Now come on, we should take a break”.

-

  
[ Lapis circled high over the plains, her eye training the mountain range where Jasper had told everyone she was going those nine months previous ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCRxZL5TYHU) . Her pupil traced the range, before… What was that? Something large dipping and twirling through the heights of the sky had caught her eye, the goddess flapping her wings hard, the wind going with her as she flew towards the figure, almost stopping dead as her heart leapt into her throat. No way! Just before she could call out to her, she had disappeared into the canopy, Lapis following with a gentle wingbeat. She made her way into the canopy after who she swore was Jasper, perching herself on a high branch in fear of being noticed. She watched as the other four there had curled off to the treeline, one of them  making their way up a towering pine and into what appeared to be a nest. The figure, however, remained. Lapis crept down the tree, before spreading her glittering blue wings and throwing herself forward with a leap, the wind rushing in her ear as she collided with the figure with a bang. The figure let out a grunt then a roar of fury, trying to throw her off. “JASPER!” Lapis barked. The figure stopped instantly, blinking gold eyes.   
 “Lapis?”   
 “Jasper, my love!” She hopped off her back and threw herself into Jasper’s arms, pressing her lips into hers. Jasper blinked, heat creeping up her face at the kiss. She was oh so extremely unused to the action, yet she found herself sinking into Lapis’ kiss, and before she could advance to kiss back the tiny azure Gem pulled away and buried her head in her neck.    
 “Wh- what are you doing here?”   
 “I found you to tell you I love you, if that isn’t obvious. Now stop that blushing, you’re being cute again!” Jasper let off a gentle sigh, her heart fluttering at the Gem’s words.   
 “Well. I feel the same for you, actually,” Jasper began, smiling as Lapis met her eye. “I love you too”. She draped her wings around her, bringing her as close as she liked. The tiny Gem sunk into Jasper’s arms, shivering violently. “You’re cold, are you alright?”   
 “Y-yea, and plus I have you to warm me,” she sunk into Jasper’s arms, shivering as she eased into her arms, the Quartz lifting her closer to her core, running a tender hand through her hair. Her heart fluttered as Lapis slowly closed her eyes. “I’ve been so sleepless without you…” She began. “Thinking about you. Wanting you. Needing you. Mind if I stay with you?”   
 “No. I don’t mind,” Jasper whispered. “I was thinking of you for as long as I can remember. Ever since that little kiss. You were all that I wanted”.    
 Lapis chuckled, lifting her head to meet Jasper’s eye. She smiled and pressed her lips against Jasper’s in a gentle kiss, the larger stroking Lapis’ head gently. She forced herself away for a brief moment. “I-”   
 “I think we should… go and rest,” Jasper began, taking a moment to look up at the starry skies. Lapis slid down from Jasper’s arms. “Here, I’ll show you where my nest is”. Lapis opened her mouth to ask, ‘why a nest’ but Jasper was already taking to the air, gliding to the top of a massive hyperion - the largest tree in the entire plateau. Wrapping around the canopy was what appeared to be a massive walled platform. Lapis sighed, and followed.

  
[ Jasper greeted her at the top, curled up against the trunk of the tree.  ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jhKIgyylk5w) She smiled. “So, here’s where I’ve been staying. It’s really comfortable, you’d be surprised”. Lapis smiled and landed right in front of Jasper,  the tiny Gem laying down right in front of her. She smiled.    
 “I mean, it’s no Asgardian lodge but… I’ll take it”. Jasper snorted fondly, reaching out a hand to gently caress Lapis’ cheek with the back of her hand, the azure Gem sinking her cheek into the touch. Jasper cracked a smile, very gently bringing her wing forward so that her flight-feathers brushed against her pardner’s bare hip. Lapis inched closer, reaching out a hand to stroke Jasper’s silky feathers. She allowed her soft blue skin to brush against the feathers, her fingers twirling  between them and settling as a sheet of silky-feathers. Jasper was expecting to curl her wing away in discomfort, maybe even hatred at the action, but she didn’t. Instead she mustered a purr deep in her throat and went to plant a gentle kiss to Lapis’ forehead. Lapis had wrapped her arms around her middle, her wings draped over her pardner’s side. Very gently Jasper wrapped her arms around the tiny Gem, who rested her head on her chest and sunk into her warmth, the larger Gem wrapping Lapis up in her warm, silky wings, almost hiding her completely.   
 “Hey, Lapis,” Jasper had finally whispered, the tiny god blinking at the larger. “Maybe we should… elope together. No one will know”. Lapis smiled widely, burying herself in Jasper. The Quartz chuckled deeply, kissing Lapis’ head softly as she closed her eyes.   
 “Yes. Just - we’ve got nowhere to run”.   
 “We’ve nowhere to run, yes, but we can metaphorically run”.   
 “I know… I know, my love, I know…” Jasper wrapped her legs around Lapis, the tiny Gem chuckling and grinding softly against the Quartz as she snorted at the gentle grinding.    
 “Come on, sleep~ you big dork!” Lapis giggled, snorting sharply as she did so. Slowly she closed her eyes, falling asleep curled against her pardner. Perhaps… Perhaps Lapis was the mate Tyr referred to… well, either way she loved having her.

[ Lapis woke, lifting her head and looking around. ](https://youtu.be/3_CKeCXys8w) Jasper, was nowhere to be seen, the goddess fretting for a brief moment; she couldn’t just up and leave like that! Well she did before, but now she had her. She sat up, grunting as she did so. She peered over the edge of the nest at the ground below, mustering a wide yawn and standing, spreading her wings and tossing herself out of the nest, gliding down to the gathering in the clearing far below. Once she got to Jasper, she threw herself into her arms. Jasper tossed her wings around Lapis, trying to hide her. “And what is going on here?” Tyr mused from off to the side, noting how Lapis was gripping onto her larger mate. Jasper turned, setting Lapis down beside her.   
 “Oh, this is Lapis. She was looking for me”.   
 “Ahh, just as I foretold, no?”   
 “Yes, Tyr”. Lapis ran a hand along Jasper’s wings, sinking into their warmth.   
 “See? I told you you wouldn’t mind your mate touching your wings”.   
 “But, Tyr, how can I call her my mate when we haven’t even had strong intimacy yet?”   
 “That’ll change, trust me,” He replied, smiling at Lapis. “Welcome, welcome. I assume you already feel at home with Jasper by your side”.   
  “I sure do! So, what’s the routine around here?” Jasper snorted, nuzzling Lapis.   
 “Well, we usually train our tails off for the next week to finalize Ascension”.    
 “Oh. Would you be… free?” Lapis whispered.   
 “Obviously I’d be around!”    
 “Like… You able, now?” Jasper took a look at Tyr, who chuckled.    
 “You go have your time together, we’re not leaving for another week”. And Lapis threw her wings out, followed closely by Jasper, the two taking flight in two large wingbeats.   


[ She tackled her to the bottom of the nest, going to unbuckle the top of her mate’s tunic. ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ifQ3JRS4gqc) The Quartz giggled. “So that’s what you want?” She made to peel back the armor, heat creeping up her face as Lapis buried her head in her bared chest, smiling. She wrapped her arms around her neck as Jasper tossed her wings around Lapis.    
 “You’re so warm. And soft”. Jasper smiled, running a hand along Lapis’ back as she tossed her chestplate aside, the plate clanking against the side of the tree with a dull thump. Jasper ran her hand along her sides as Lapis reached down to pull back the leggings she wore, peeling them off. Jasper shuddered, the heat in her face intensifying. “And you’re blushing an awful lot”.   
 “I’m just… Not used to this…” Jasper smirked as Lapis tugged at the ribbon that held up her top. Jasper made to peel it off, smirking as Lapis laid back down on her, draping her wings around her. Jasper grinned at Lapis, who blushed dully. She laid flat on Jasper, licking her neck tenderly.   
 “Oh, you~”   
 “Well… we don’t have to… y’know, if you don’t want to”.   
 “Lapis, it’s not that I don’t want sex. Just… I want to lay like this with you. That’s all”. Lapis giggled.   
 “I didn’t want sex, silly! I just… wanted to do the same, cuddle bare-bodied like this with you. I trust you enough”. Jasper smiled and leaned in to kiss Lapis, purring as she pulled away and slowly she closed her bright blue eyes. A tender hand ran along her back as Jasper held her, rubbing her Gem. The tiny blue Gem snorted.

  They sat like this for hours, bare-bodied in the bottom of the nest Jasper had built, holding each other and whispering the sweetest nothings. Jasper smirked as she crawled over to the edge of the nest, watching the gathering far below them. She smirked, dressing herself once again, turning to Lapis who had fallen asleep in her arms. “Hey, Lapis, my love?”    
 “Mmng - what is it, Jasper?”   
 “We should go back to the others”.   
 “Y-Yea…” She curled back up under her wings, Jasper scoffing cutely at her.    
 “Come on, get dressed. I’ll carry you”. Lapis complied with a groan, Jasper giggling at her. Within a few moments she was dressed, and curled up against Jasper’s chest as she lifted her into her arms, holding her close as she took flight, throwing herself down to the ground below.

-

  
[The pain was almost blinding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Co8Qo4hTyb4). Searing, sharp agony coursed through her, the storm above threatening to tear apart the forest. Her chest heaved. Tyr, the god who had brought them there, was nowhere to be seen. She cried out, spreading her wings and throwing herself skyward just to be slammed into the Earth. She fought her way up, snarling at whatever was holding her down. She paused to dab blood off of her forehead - whatever that thing was knew how to fight, and was   far too fast for her to concentrate on. Her eyes glowed almost violently bright as she rose, a furious cry leaving her as she threw herself skyward yet again, beating her wings and trying to get ahead of… whatever that was, a blur that had chased her and pursued her and attacked with claws and a curved beak. She smirked as an updraft took hold of her feathers, strength radiating to her very core. This was it, she thought. This is the end of the Ascension. She beat her wings furiously, the storm rattling the earth around her. The updraft carried her till it could carry her no more, the goddess sighing, her breath almost slower… stiller… Everything seemed to stop, even the hurricane of a storm surrounding her. Rain matted her feathers flat and made her hair arrow-straight, a curtain of beige-white that hung far past her hips, which were bruised from relentless attacks from some form of phantom of the night. A flash of lightning that curled around her even, winking as a roar of thunder shook the very Earth. The goddess looked up - above the storm was a peaceful blanket of calm under moonlight and bright stars. Something she desired, something she needed… With a loud yell she threw herself forward, beating her wings against the storm that threatened to tear her limb from limb. And with a release of tension that had built up along her spine and her wings, she broke the clouds. As if nothing but a memory the storm seemed to stop, the goddess gliding along. She sighed. “So, that’s really it?” She muttered, keeling down back under the clouds, sudden disappointment coursing through her. It may have looked pretty awesome from the outside, she thought, but certainly not through her eyes. She sighed, but as she came down something… larger than herself had slammed into her, knocking the wind from her. Her vision blurred, yet returned, and to her great horror she was staring a grizzly bear several times her size dead in the eyes. It exhaled a crystalline breath, hanging its jaw open, its face curled into a terrifying snarl. A massive paw held Jasper down, yet as she looked at the bear, more and more things made sense. She had no idea how but… The bear’s fur was soft, gentle and almost comfortable. Her amber-colored eyes were warm and gentle despite the snarl printed on black lips over bright, curled fangs. Pale-brown fur was muddled with bright gray markings - intricate swirls and lines, all decorating the bear’s fur neatly. Jasper felt no fear - and she had no idea why. Was it because she was THE fear-bringer? THE War God, who was to fear nothing, not even Death? Suddenly, the bear’s expression eased. She took her paw off Jasper’s chest, allowing her to sit up. The bear sat up too, cocking her head. Jasper blinked. “Wh-”  
 “Oh good, you’re OK”.  
 “Did you just-”   
  “Yea-yea, talking bear, I know, crazy?”  
 “Y-Yea,” Jasper found herself agreeing.  
 “Well. I’m Ursa. You’re Jasper, right? Well, I’m your companion”.  
  Jasper cocked her head, almost in the same position as the bear. “Like - sacred animal kind of things?”   
  “Yea. Basically”. And the bear stood, turning. “You coming?”  
  “Where are we going?”  
   “We’re going to find Pegasus, who, despite advising him NOT TO, was messing with you”.  Jasper blinked. Wow, something boring happened to her then something INTERESTING? She was expecting to wake up perfectly fine at home. She hoped for it, even. So she stood and made to follow the bear, in almost eerie sync. 

They came to yet another clearing that Jasper had recalled from a while past - a clearing where she and the others would hang out. Yet, something else was there, and the bird fluttered over to the duo. It was an ugly little thing - matted gray feathers and sagging bright-red skin over a long, curved beak. It spoke in a… No way, that was the thing that was tormenting her along the treeline! “Hey,” he whispered in a terrible voice. The bird, clearly some sort of lappet-faced vulture, blinked a beady silver eye at Jasper. She sighed.   
“You must be Pegasus”.  
“Right I am”. Jasper smirked.   
“We should go home - to Asgard, where you belong”. 

  
  
  



End file.
